phthisis

[ thahy-sis, tahy- ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a wasting away.
2. pulmonary tuberculosis; consumption.

phthisis

/ ˈfθaɪ-; ˈtaɪ-; ˈθaɪsɪs /

noun

1. any disease that causes wasting of the body, esp pulmonary tuberculosis

Word History and Origins

Origin of phthisis¹

1515–25; < Greek phthísis lung disease, literally, a wasting away, equivalent to phthí ( ein ) to decay + -sis -sis

Word History and Origins

Origin of phthisis¹

C16: via Latin from Greek: a wasting away, from phthinein to waste away

Example Sentences

Phthisis made kits for clinical lab testing.

From Washington Post

I then forwarded the collection to Washington as ordered except one Ogalalla skull of a young squaw that died of phthisis.

From Time

The city is full of phthisis; the insanitary conditions under which the vast majority of the inhabitants live favour its rapid dissemination.

From Project Gutenberg

In the first place he one day came to me with a woeful face, and besought me to carefully examine his chest, for he was convinced he was developing phthisis.

From Project Gutenberg

Her brother told me that her husband, who had died of consumption, and whose mind was perfectly clear to the last, as is usually the case in phthisis, had told her that he could not entertain any hopes of seeing her in the other world unless she became a Catholic.

From Project Gutenberg