influenza
/ˌɪn.fluˈɛn.zə/
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Also seen as: influenzas · influenze
Meaning · English
An acute contagious disease of the upper airways and lungs, caused by a virus, which rapidly spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics.
Noun
Examples
In early 1919 the Board also issued a film, Dr Wise on Influenza, in which a character called 'Brown' spreads the disease by enacting poor behaviours.
This did address transport - by boarding a crowded omnibus, "Brown may be scattering germs throughout the carriage and giving influenza to a number o
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “influenza” mean?
An acute contagious disease of the upper airways and lungs, caused by a virus, which rapidly spreads around the world in seasonal epidemics.
Is “influenza” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.