cholera

noun chol·era \ˈkä-lə-rə\

: a serious disease that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea and that often results in death

Full Definition of CHOLERA

: any of several diseases of humans and domestic animals usually marked by severe gastrointestinal symptoms; especially : an acute diarrheal disease caused by an enterotoxin produced by a comma-shaped gram-negative bacillus (Vibrio cholerae syn. V. comma) when it is present in large numbers in the proximal part of the human small intestine

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Origin of CHOLERA

Latin

First Known Use: 1601

Other Medicine Terms

analgesia, angina, diabetes, hepatitis, homeopathy, logorrhea, palliate, pandemic

CHOLERA Defined for Kids

cholera

noun chol·era \ˈkä-lə-rə\

Definition of CHOLERA for Kids

: a serious disease that causes severe vomiting and diarrhea

Medical Dictionary

cholera

noun chol·era \ˈkäl-ə-rə\

Medical Definition of CHOLERA

: any of several diseases of humans and domestic animals usually marked by severe gastrointestinal symptoms: as a : an acute diarrheal disease caused by an enterotoxin produced by various strains of a comma-shaped gram-negative bacterium of the genus Vibrio (V. cholerae synonym V. comma) when it is present in large numbers in the proximal part of the human small intestine—see asiatic cholera b : fowl cholera c : hog cholera

—chol·e·ra·ic \ˌkäl-ə-ˈrā-ik\ adjective