diarrhea: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Medical, Informal, Mildly Taboo in formal social contexts
Quick answer
What does “diarrhea” mean?
An intestinal disorder causing frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
An intestinal disorder causing frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements.
Used metaphorically to describe something that is unstructured, uncontrollable, or of low quality, especially an excessive and disorganized flow of information, words, or output.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling: UK 'diarrhoea', US 'diarrhea'.
Connotations
Identical. Considered a direct, somewhat clinical/vulgar term. Euphemisms like 'the runs', 'tummy bug', or 'upset stomach' are common in casual conversation in both varieties.
Frequency
Equal frequency for the medical condition. The metaphorical extension may be slightly more prevalent in US English.
Grammar
How to Use “diarrhea” in a Sentence
[Patient] has/had/suffers from diarrhea.[Agent/Cause] gave [Patient] diarrhea.[Substance] causes diarrhea.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “diarrhea” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The spoiled milk diarrhoea'd the entire team. (Very informal, non-standard)
American English
- That street food totally diarrhead me. (Very informal, non-standard)
adverb
British English
- (Not standard; no common usage.)
American English
- (Not standard; no common usage.)
adjective
British English
- He had a diarrhoeic episode after returning from holiday.
American English
- The patient presented with diarrheal symptoms.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in travel insurance or occupational health contexts (e.g., 'covered for traveler's diarrhea'). Metaphorical use ('data diarrhea') possible in tech criticism.
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and public health literature. Used precisely to describe symptoms.
Everyday
Common but often softened with euphemisms, especially in polite company. Direct use is acceptable among close acquaintances or when describing one's own condition to a doctor.
Technical
Standard term in medicine. Specific types are classified (e.g., osmotic, secretory, inflammatory diarrhea).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “diarrhea”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “diarrhea”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “diarrhea”
- Misspelling: 'diarrea', 'diarreah', 'diahhrea'.
- Using 'dysentery' (a specific, severe infectious form) as a synonym.
- Overusing the direct term in formal social situations where a euphemism is expected.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Viral infections (e.g., norovirus, rotavirus) are the most common cause of acute diarrhea worldwide.
It is the standard formal/medical term. However, due to its unpleasant connotations, it is often replaced by euphemisms in casual social conversation.
The spelling: 'diarrhoea' (UK) vs. 'diarrhea' (US). Pronunciation also differs slightly in the final vowel sound.
Yes, phrases like 'verbal diarrhea' or 'data diarrhea' are informal metaphors criticizing an excessive, uncontrolled, and often low-quality flow of words or information.
An intestinal disorder causing frequent, loose, and watery bowel movements.
Diarrhea: in British English it is pronounced /ˌdaɪəˈrɪə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌdaɪəˈriːə/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “verbal diarrhea/diarrhoea (excessive, uncontrollable talk)”
- “diarrhea of the mouth”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
DASH In A Real Rush, Hurry Everywhere, Ah! (DIARRHEA) - captures the urgent, frequent nature of the condition.
Conceptual Metaphor
UNCONTROLLABLE FLOW IS DIARRHEA (e.g., of words, information).
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the term 'diarrhea' be LEAST appropriate?