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Noun: diphtheria  dip'theer-ee-u or dif'theer-ee-u
  1. Acute contagious infection caused by the bacterium Corynebacterium diphtheriae; marked by the formation of a false membrane in the throat and other air passages causing difficulty in breathing

Derived forms: diphtherias

Type of: contagion, contagious disease

Encyclopedia: Diphtheria