diarrhea

Or di·ar·rhoe·a

[dahy-uh-ree-uh]

noun

Pathology.

1. an intestinal disorder characterized by abnormal frequency and fluidity of fecal evacuations.

diarrhea

1. Excessive and frequent evacuation of watery feces, usually a symptom of a gastrointestinal disorder. Severe, prolonged diarrhea can lead to dehydration.

diarrhea

1. The frequent passage of abnormally watery feces, which is a sign of illness.

Other Word Forms

• diarrheal adjective
• diarrheic adjective
• diarrhetic adjective
• diarrhoeal adjective
• diarrhoeic adjective
• diarrhoetic adjective
• antidiarrheal adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of diarrhea¹

1350–1400; Middle English diaria < Late Latin diarrhoea < Greek diárrhoia a flowing through, equivalent to diarrho- (variant stem of diarrheîn to flow through) + -ia -ia

Example Sentences

Symptoms in humans may include fever, headache, muscle aches, jaundice, vomiting, diarrhea and skin rash.

From Los Angeles Times

If ingested, it could cause nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, and drinking a single glass could result in liver failure.

From Salon

Listeria can cause high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain and diarrhea.

From Salon

“What if you’re a great movie star, you have a fantastic career, and then when you’re 70 years old, you get diarrhea on Sunset Boulevard and then your obituary is ‘Diarrhea Actor’?”

From Los Angeles Times

In Iraq in 2004, 3-month-old Ali tries to cry but he’s too weak to make a sound since his body has been ravaged by diarrhea.

From Salon