cholera

[ kol-er-uh ]

noun

1. Also called A·si·at·ic chol·er·a [ey-zhee-, at, -ik , kol, -er-, uh, ey-shee-, ey-zee-]. Pathology. an acute, infectious disease, endemic in India and China and occasionally epidemic elsewhere, characterized by profuse diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, etc.
2. Veterinary Pathology. any of several diseases of domesticated animals that are characterized by depression, sleepiness, lack of appetite, and diarrhea. Compare fowl cholera, hog cholera.

cholera

/ ˈkɒlərə /

noun

1. an acute intestinal infection characterized by severe diarrhoea, cramp, etc: caused by ingestion of water or food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio comma Also calledAsiatic choleraepidemic choleraIndian cholera

cholera

/ kŏl′ər-ə /

1. An infectious, sometimes fatal disease of the small intestine caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. It is spread from contaminated water and food and causes severe diarrhea, vomiting, and dehydration.

cholera

1. An acute disease , and an infectious disease , caused by a kind of bacterium that affects the intestines . Transmitted by food or water that has been contaminated with raw sewage, cholera is often fatal and is characterized by severe vomiting, diarrhea , and collapse.

Derived Forms

• ˈcholeˌroid, adjective

Other Words From

• chol·e·ra·ic [kol-, uh, -, rey, -ik], adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cholera¹

First recorded in 1600–05 in sense “gastrointestinal disease” and in 1800–05 for its current meaning cholera ( def 1 ); from Latin: “disease caused by bile,” from Greek choléra; choler

Word History and Origins

Origin of cholera¹

C14: from Latin, from Greek kholera jaundice, from kholē bile

Example Sentences

In some schools, children are advised to take five litres of water each day to reduce the possibility of a sanitation crisis - and the outbreak of waterborne diseases like cholera, which hit the country at the start of the year.

From BBC

A cholera epidemic is also raging throughout the country- more than 430 people have died from the easily-treatable disease in the past month, the health ministry said on Wednesday.

From BBC

More than 430 people have died from cholera in the past month, Sudan's health ministry says, as civil war continues to ravage the country.

From BBC

It said it was doing all it can to "combat cholera in the affected states, amid the rise in infections".

From BBC

Esperanza Santos, MSF emergency coordinator for Sudan, said these elements had created a "perfect storm" for cholera to spread.

From BBC