pleurisy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Technical/Medical
Quick answer
What does “pleurisy” mean?
Inflammation of the pleura, the membranes surrounding the lungs, causing sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Inflammation of the pleura, the membranes surrounding the lungs, causing sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing.
A medical condition characterized by inflammation of the pleural layers, often resulting from infection, autoimmune disease, or injury, leading to symptoms like chest pain, cough, and fever.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling and pronunciation are consistent.
Connotations
Identical medical connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in both UK and US English, confined to medical contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “pleurisy” in a Sentence
suffer from pleurisybe diagnosed with pleurisydevelop pleurisytreat for pleurisyVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “pleurisy” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- pleuritic pain
American English
- pleuritic chest pain
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in medical and historical research papers.
Everyday
Very rare; might appear in personal illness narratives or historical fiction.
Technical
Standard term in pulmonology, internal medicine, and medical diagnostics.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “pleurisy”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “pleurisy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “pleurisy”
- Misspelling as 'pluerisy' or 'pleuresy'.
- Using it as a general term for any chest pain.
- Incorrect pronunciation with stress on the second syllable.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Pleurisy itself is not contagious, but the underlying infection causing it (like viral or bacterial pneumonia) might be.
The hallmark symptom is a sharp, stabbing chest pain that worsens with breathing, coughing, or sneezing.
While pleurisy can be serious and painful, it is rarely fatal on its own, but the underlying cause requires medical attention.
Pneumonia is an infection of the lung tissue itself, while pleurisy is inflammation of the pleural lining around the lungs. They can occur together.
Inflammation of the pleura, the membranes surrounding the lungs, causing sharp chest pain that worsens with breathing.
Pleurisy is usually technical/medical in register.
Pleurisy: in British English it is pronounced /ˈplʊərɪsi/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈplʊrɪsi/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'PLEUra' + 'iS' + 'itchY' → The pleura is inflamed and irritated.
Conceptual Metaphor
INFLAMMATION IS FIRE (e.g., 'the fire in his chest was diagnosed as pleurisy').
Practice
Quiz
Pleurisy is best defined as: