First Known Use: 1897
Dictionary
psittacosis
noun psit·ta·co·sis \ˌsi-tə-ˈkō-səs\
Definition of PSITTACOSIS
: an infectious disease of birds caused by a bacterium (Chlamydia psittaci), marked by diarrhea and wasting, and transmissible to humans in whom it occurs as a flu-like illness often accompanied by pneumonia —called also ornithosis, parrot fever
— psit·ta·co·tic \-ˈkä-tik, -ˈkō-\ adjective
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Origin of PSITTACOSIS
New Latin, from Latin psittacus
Rhymes with PSITTACOSIS
Medical Dictionary
psittacosis
noun psit·ta·co·sis \ˌsit-ə-ˈkō-səs\
plural psit·ta·co·ses \-ˌsēz\
Medical Definition of PSITTACOSIS
: an infectious disease of birds caused by a bacterium of the genus Chlamydia (C. psittaci), marked by diarrhea and wasting, and transmissible to humans in whom it usually occurs as an atypical pneumonia accompanied by high fever—called also parrot fever; compare ornithosis
—psit·ta·co·tic \-ˈkät-ik, -ˈkōt-\ adjective
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