Ebola

The word “Ebola” means a severe, often fatal viral disease causing fever and internal bleeding, first identified near the Ebola River in Central Africa. In plain terms, a dangerous virus, and the disease it causes, named after the African river near where it was first found.

“Ebola” is pronounced ih-BOH-luh (/iˈboʊlə/ in IPA).

Here is “Ebola” used in a sentence: “The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa killed thousands of people.”

“Ebola” is a noun.

The word “Ebola” dates back to around 1976. Named after the Ebola River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near where the virus was first identified in 1976; the river's name comes from a local phrase meaning "white water.".

“Ebola” is a fairly common word in modern English.

Ebola causes fever and internal bleeding like other hemorrhagic fevers, but it is caused by a specific virus first identified near the Ebola River in Central Africa and is known for a very high fatality rate. Other hemorrhagic fevers, such as Lassa fever, are caused by different viruses with their own patterns of severity.

The disease is named after the Ebola River in Central Africa, near where it was first identified. The name reflects the geographic origin of the outbreak rather than any property of the virus itself.

Yes, Ebola is capitalized because it derives from the proper noun Ebola River, even though it now functions as a common noun naming a disease.