diphtheria
UK[dɪfˈθɪəriə]US[dɪfˈθɪriə]
n
a serious infectious disease that causes fever and difficulty in breathing and swallowing, and can lead to heart failure.
Morpheme Breakdown
diphther
ia
diphther
leather
ia
disease condition
Etymology
the word diphtheria originates from the greek term διφθέρα (diphthéra), meaning "piece of leather" or "hide." this naming was adopted by french physician pierre bretonneau in the 19th century, who described the characteristic tough, leathery pseudomembrane that forms in the throat of infected patients. the suffix -ία, a common greek formative for diseases, was appended to create a medical term for the condition. thus, the modern medical term directly translates the physical symptom observed—the leather-like membrane—into the name of the disease itself.
Analysis
Structure: diphther (leather) + ia (disease condition)
diphther (from greek διφθέρα (diphthéra), meaning "leather, hide"); ia (from greek -ία (-ía), a suffix used to form nouns denoting states, conditions, or diseases).
Examples
before the vaccine was developed, diphtheria was a leading cause of death in children.
the public health campaign successfully eradicated diphtheria through widespread immunization.
symptoms of diphtheria include a sore throat, fever, and the formation of a gray coating in the throat.