flu
UK[fluː]US[fluː]
n
A common infectious illness that causes fever, headache, and weakness
Etymology
The word 'flu' is a mid-19th century shortening of the Italian word 'influenza'. 'Influenza' itself comes from the Medieval Latin 'influentia', meaning 'inflow' or 'influence'. This term was used in Italian for disease epidemics, based on the astrological idea that illnesses flowed from the influence of the stars. The clipped form 'flu' captures the core of the longer word and became the standard, colloquial term for the viral respiratory illness, streamlining the original term for common usage.
Analysis
The word is a shortened form of 'influenza', making it a simplex word (a clipping) in modern English. It is not productively segmented into smaller, meaningful morphemes based on its current spelling.
Examples
She stayed home from work because she had the flu.
It's important to get a flu shot every year.
The symptoms of the flu can include a high fever and body aches.