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Medicine vocabulary · Diseases by System

Pneumonia

Meaning in medicine, with examples

/nuːˈmoʊniə/nounCore term

In medicine, pneumonia means: An infection of the lungs in which the small air sacs fill with fluid or pus, causing cough, fever and difficulty breathing.

In Turkish: pnömoni, zatürre, akciğer enfeksiyonu

How it is used

Doctors specify the type, such as community-acquired or hospital-acquired pneumonia, and the side and lobe affected. It is diagnosed with examination, a chest X-ray and blood tests.

Example sentences

  1. Her chest X-ray confirmed right lower lobe pneumonia.

  2. Elderly patients with pneumonia may present with confusion rather than cough.

Common collocations

  • community-acquired pneumonia
  • aspiration pneumonia
  • treat pneumonia
  • develop pneumonia
  • infectionAn illness caused when bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites enter the body and multiply.
  • X-rayAn image of the inside of the body made with a type of radiation that passes through soft tissue but is blocked by bone and other dense structures.
  • antibioticA medicine that kills bacteria or stops them from growing, used to treat bacterial infections. It does not work against viruses.
  • shortness of breathA feeling that you cannot get enough air or have to work hard to breathe; the medical word is dyspnea (UK: dyspnoea).
  • feverA body temperature higher than normal, usually above about 38 °C, often a sign that the body is fighting an infection.

More terms: Diseases by System

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.