Definition

1. Noun:
   • A respiratory disease: "pneumonia" is a medical condition characterized by inflammation of the lung tissue (the parenchyma), leading to the filling of air sacs with fluid or pus. This congestion is typically caused by infection from viruses, bacteria, or, less commonly, by irritants.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The elderly patient was hospitalized with severe pneumonia.
  • Vaccines can help prevent some types of bacterial pneumonia.
  • Her cough and fever were symptoms of pneumonia.

Advanced Usage

• "walking pneumonia": a mild, often atypical case of pneumonia where the person may not feel sick enough to stay in bed.

  • Despite his diagnosis, he had walking pneumonia and continued to go to work.

• "double pneumonia": pneumonia that affects both lungs.

  • The chest X-ray confirmed a case of double pneumonia.

• "aspiration pneumonia": pneumonia caused by inhaling foreign material, such as food or liquid, into the lungs.

  • The risk of aspiration pneumonia is higher in patients with swallowing difficulties.

Variants and Related Words

• Pneumonic (adj): relating to or affecting the lungs; or, relating to pneumonia.
  • The patient showed pneumonic symptoms.

Synonyms

• Pulmonary inflammation: a formal term for inflammation of the lung tissue.
• Lower respiratory tract infection: a broader category of infections that includes pneumonia.

Related Phrases (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• To contract pneumonia: to become infected with pneumonia.

  • He contracted pneumonia after a bad flu.

• To recover from pneumonia: to get better after having pneumonia.

  • It took her a month to fully recover from pneumonia.

Related Idioms

• To be a breeding ground for pneumonia: (figurative) a situation or environment that makes the development of pneumonia very likely.
  • The cold, damp barracks were a breeding ground for pneumonia among the soldiers.

Noun

1. respiratory disease characterized by inflammation of the lung parenchyma (excluding the bronchi) with congestion caused by viruses or bacteria or irritants