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noun B2 Upper-Intermediate

typhoid

TEYE-foyd

Typhoid (noun) means a serious bacterial infection causing high fever, weakness, and stomach problems, spread through contaminated food or water. Example: “He was vaccinated against typhoid before travelling abroad.”

noun
1
A serious bacterial infection causing high fever, weakness, and stomach problems, spread through contaminated food or water.
"He was vaccinated against typhoid before travelling abroad."
"Poor sanitation in the camp led to an outbreak of typhoid."

How to use typhoid

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA dangerous fever-causing infection linked to contaminated food or water, distinct from but similar to typhus.

Common mistake

Typhoid (from Salmonella bacteria, spread via food and water) is a different disease from typhus (spread by lice and fleas), even though the names look alike.

Easily confused with
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Test yourself on “typhoid” A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage

Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

He was vaccinated against _____ before travelling abroad.

Etymology

Formed from "typhus" plus the ending "-oid," meaning "resembling," since the two diseases produce similar symptoms.

typhoid fever enteric fever

Rhymes for typhoid

See all rhymes for typhoid →

Frequently asked questions

What does “typhoid” mean?

The word “typhoid” means a serious bacterial infection causing high fever, weakness, and stomach problems, spread through contaminated food or water. In plain terms, a dangerous fever-causing infection linked to contaminated food or water, distinct from but similar to typhus.

How do you pronounce “typhoid”?

“Typhoid” is pronounced TEYE-foyd (/ˈtaɪ.fɔɪd/ in IPA).

How do you use “typhoid” in a sentence?

Here is “typhoid” used in a sentence: “He was vaccinated against typhoid before travelling abroad.”

What part of speech is “typhoid”?

“Typhoid” is a noun.

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