Definition of influenza Influenza

/ɪˌnfluɛˈnzʌ/ - [influenzu] - in•flu•en•za

We found 7 definitions of influenza from 7 different sources.

What does influenza mean?

Noun Plural: influenzas
influenza - an acute febrile highly contagious viral disease
		flu, grippe
		contagious disease, contagion any disease easily transmitted by contact
		respiratory disease, respiratory disorder, respiratory illness a disease affecting the respiratory system
		asian influenza, asiatic flu influenza caused by the Asian virus that was first isolated in 1957

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

influenza (Noun)
An acute contagious disease of the upper airways and lungs, caused by a virus, which rapidly spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics.

influenza (n.)
An epidemic affection characterized by acute nasal catarrh, or by inflammation of the throat or the bronchi, and usually accompanied by fever.

influenza
An acute contagious disease of the upper airways and lungs, caused by a virus, which rapidly spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics.

influenza
in-flōō-en′za, n. a severe epidemic catarrh, accompanied with weakening fever. [It.,—L., a by-form of influence.]

Influenza (or the flu, the grippe) is a very common disease. It is contagious, so it passes from one person to another very easily. Usually, it spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics. In the 20th century, there were three big epidemics (called "pandemics") that killed millions of people. A type of flu is Avian flu. People sometimes mistook influenza for the common cold. The flu affects the upper airways and the lungs.

While there is no cure, there is a vaccine that must be given yearly to avoid infection.