poliomyelitis
UK[ˌpəʊ.li.əʊ.maɪəˈlaɪ.tɪs]US[ˌpoʊ.li.oʊ.maɪəˈlaɪ.t̬əs]
n
A serious infectious disease caused by a virus that affects nerves and can lead to temporary or permanent paralysis.
Morpheme Breakdown
polio
myel
itis
polio
grey
myel
marrow
itis
inflammation
Etymology
The term poliomyelitis is a precise, modern medical compound built directly from Greek roots in the 19th century. It follows the classical model of descriptive anatomical pathology. The first element, 'polio-', refers to the grey matter of the spinal cord, which is the primary site of the viral attack. The second element, '-myel-', specifies the spinal cord itself, and the suffix '-itis' indicates the resulting inflammatory condition. Thus, the word's literal construction, "inflammation of the grey matter of the spinal cord," provides an exact pathological description of the disease's effect.
Analysis
Structure: polio (grey) + myel (marrow) + itis (inflammation)
- polio: From Greek 'polios', meaning "grey". In medical terminology, it refers to the grey matter of the brain and spinal cord.
- myel: From Greek 'myelos', meaning "marrow". In medical terminology, it specifically refers to the spinal cord.
- itis: A suffix from Greek '-itis', denoting inflammation or a disease characterized by inflammation.
Examples
The global vaccination campaign has nearly eradicated poliomyelitis.
Before the vaccine was developed, poliomyelitis was a feared cause of disability in children.
The virus that causes poliomyelitis is spread through contaminated food or water.