cholera

UK: /ˈkɒlərə/ US: /ˈkɑlərə/ ,(kol′ər ə)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

chol•er•a /ˈkɑlərə/   n. [uncountable]

1. Pathology a contagious infection of the small intestine caused by bacteria and transmitted through drinking water.

chol•e•ra•ic /ˌkɑləˈreɪɪk/  adj. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

chol•er•a  (kol′ər ə), n. 

1. Pathology Also called Asiatic cholera. an acute, infectious disease, endemic in India and China and occasionally epidemic elsewhere, characterized by profuse diarrhea, vomiting, cramps, etc.
2. Veterinary Diseases any of several diseases of domesticated animals that are characterized by depression, sleepiness, lack of appetite, and diarrhea. Cf. fowl cholera, hog cholera.

• Greek choléra name of several intestinal diseases
• Latin
• Middle English 1350–1400 for sense of choler (def. 2); 1565–75 for current senses

chol•e•ra•ic  (kol′ə rā′ik), adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

cholera / ˈkɒlərə/ noun

1. an acute intestinal infection characterized by severe diarrhoea, cramp, etc: caused by ingestion of water or food contaminated with the bacterium Vibrio comma
   Also called: Asiatic cholera, epidemic cholera, Indian cholera

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin, from Greek kholera jaundice, from kholē bile

ˈcholeˌroid adjective