Cholera
/ˈkɒl.ər.ə/noun
An acute infectious disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Greek kholéra, linked to kholḗ, “bile,” because ancient medicine tied violent sickness to the body’s bitter fluids.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*gʰelh₃-
“to be green/yellow; to shine, often associated with bile and gall”
Ancient Greek
GRK
kholḗ (χολή)
“bile, gall; one of the bodily fluids in ancient medicine”
Ancient Greek
GRK
kholéra (χολέρα)
“a bilious disease, especially a disorder of the bowels”
Medieval Latin
LAT
cholera
“cholera; a severe intestinal illness”
Old French
OFR
cholere
“cholera, severe flux or sickness”
Modern English
ENG
cholera
“a dangerous infectious disease causing severe diarrhea and dehydration”
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