Definition

Noun A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the stomach and intestines, typically causing symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps. It is often caused by viral or bacterial infections, such as Salmonella enteritidis.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • After the picnic, several people came down with a bad case of intestinal flu.
  • The doctor said her symptoms were due to intestinal flu, not food poisoning.
  • Outbreaks of intestinal flu are common in close living quarters like dormitories.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used informally to describe gastroenteritis, especially when of viral origin. In medical contexts, "gastroenteritis" is the more precise term.
• It can be specified by its cause, e.g., "viral intestinal flu" or "bacterial intestinal flu."

Variants and Related Words

• Gastroenteritis (n): The formal medical term for inflammation of the stomach and intestinal lining.
• Stomach flu (n): A common informal synonym.
• Gastric flu (n): A less common variant.

Synonyms

• Stomach flu
• Gastroenteritis
• Gastric enteritis (technical)
• Winter vomiting bug (informal, specific to norovirus)

Related Phrases and Collocations

• To come down with (the) intestinal flu: To become ill with it.
  • Half the office came down with the intestinal flu.
• A bout of intestinal flu: An instance or episode of the illness.
  • She's recovering from a severe bout of intestinal flu.
• Intestinal flu symptoms: The signs of the illness.
  • The main intestinal flu symptoms are vomiting and diarrhea.

Noun

1. inflammation of the stomach and intestines; can be caused by Salmonella enteritidis