catarrh

From Middle English catarre, from Medieval Latin catarrus, from Late Latin catarrhus, from Ancient Greek κατάρροος (katárrhoos), which is derived from καταρρέω (katarrhéō, “I flow down”), which is composed of κατά (katá, “down”) and ῥέω (rhéō, “I flow”).

• IPA^(key): /kəˈtɑɹ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Homophone: Qatar

catarrh (countable and uncountable, plural catarrhs)

2. (medicine) Inflammation of a mucous membrane.

   Hyponym: coryza

   2. Especially, that of the nose and throat.

      Synonym: coryza

      • 1763 June 20 (first performance), Samuel Foote, The Mayor of Garret. A Comedy, […], London: […] P[aul] Vaillant, […], published 1764, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 4:

        And then as to your ſcurvys, and gouts, rheumatiſms, conſumptions, coughs and catarrhs, tar-vvater and turpentine vvill make you as ſound as a roach.

      • 1851 November 14, Herman Melville, chapter III, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:

        Jonah mixed him a pitch-like potion of gin and molasses, which he swore was a sovereign cure for all colds and catarrhs whatsoever […]

      • 1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:

        "Where I went wrong," he said, still speaking in that low, husky voice as if he had been a ghost suffering from catarrh, "was in getting engaged to Phyllis Mills."

   3. The discharge (fluid) associated with this condition.

      Hypernyms: phlegm, sputum

      He coughed violently and spit out the catarrh irritating his throat.

   5. (loosely, metonymic) Rhinitis or rhinosinusitis; cold or coldlike illness; common cold.

• cold
• flu
• grippe, grip
• influenza
• pose
• sinusitis

• Carhart