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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate Uncommon

Polio

Polio (noun) means a viral disease that can cause paralysis, historically common before vaccination. Example: “The vaccine has nearly eliminated polio worldwide.”

noun
1
A viral disease that can cause paralysis, historically common before vaccination.
"The vaccine has nearly eliminated polio worldwide."

How to use Polio

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA serious viral illness that can cause paralysis, now rare thanks to vaccines.

Common pairings
polio vaccine polio outbreak eradicate polio

Word forms

Polios plural

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The vaccine has nearly eliminated _____ worldwide.

Etymology

A shortening of "poliomyelitis," from Greek polios ("grey") + myelos ("marrow," referring to the spinal cord) + -itis ("inflammation").

Origin: Greek

poliomyelitis infantile paralysis acute anterior poliomyelitis

Related words

Rhymes for Polio

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Frequently asked questions

What does “Polio” mean?

The word “Polio” means a viral disease that can cause paralysis, historically common before vaccination. In plain terms, a serious viral illness that can cause paralysis, now rare thanks to vaccines.

How do you use “Polio” in a sentence?

Here is “Polio” used in a sentence: “The vaccine has nearly eliminated polio worldwide.”

What part of speech is “Polio”?

“Polio” is a noun.

Where does the word “Polio” come from?

The word “Polio” comes from Greek. A shortening of "poliomyelitis," from Greek polios ("grey") + myelos ("marrow," referring to the spinal cord) + -itis ("inflammation").

Is “Polio” a common word?

“Polio” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

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