TUBERCULOUS Meaning and
Definition
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Tuberculous is an adjective that describes something related to or affected by tuberculosis, which is a highly contagious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculous primarily refers to a condition, person, or item that is infected with tuberculosis or exhibits signs and symptoms of the disease.
When used to describe a condition, tuberculous suggests the presence of tubercles, which are small, rounded nodules that develop in the organs or tissues of individuals infected with tuberculosis. These tubercles can usually be identified through radiological imaging or during autopsies. Tuberculous can also denote a type of inflammation characterized by the formation of tubercles, often seen in organs affected by tuberculosis like the lungs.
In reference to a person, tuberculous describes an individual with active tuberculosis infection. This person may exhibit symptoms such as persistent cough, weight loss, fatigue, fever, night sweats, and coughing up blood. Tuberculous individuals are highly contagious and can spread the infection to others through respiratory droplets expelled during coughing or sneezing.
When used to describe an item, tuberculous signifies that the object has been contaminated with tuberculosis bacteria. This can include contaminated surfaces, objects, or substances that come into contact with infected individuals, causing the potential for transmission of the disease.
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Relating to or affected by tuberculosis. It is the better practice, following the analogy of the Latin terminations-aris and -asus, to restrict the term tubercular to conditions marked by the presence of (non-specific) tubercles or nodules, reserving tuberculous for conditions marked by an infiltration of (specific) tubercle; thus we may speak of tubercular, or nodular, leprosy, and tuberculous disease of the skin, or lupus.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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Affected with tubercles; disposed to tubercular diseases.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
Common Misspellings for TUBERCULOUS
Etymology of TUBERCULOUS
The word "tuberculous" derives from the Latin word "tuberculum", which means a small swelling or knob. This term was eventually adopted into English, combining with the suffix "-ous" to form "tuberculous". The term became specifically associated with tuberculosis, a contagious and often deadly infectious disease caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The Latin root "tuberculum" is derived from "tuber", which means a lump or swelling.
Similar spelling words for TUBERCULOUS
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