How to Pronounce Fifth Disease
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Fifth Disease Pronunciation
FIFTH dih-ZEEZ
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
FIFTH dih
ZEEZ
stress here
2 syllables
What is Fifth Disease?
What is fifth disease? Fifth disease, also called erythema infectiosum, is a viral infection caused by parvovirus B19. This virus only infects people; ...
Definition sourced from MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine
Questions About Fifth Disease
How do you pronounce 'Fifth Disease'?
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Say it like this: FIFTH dih-ZEEZ. The first word rhymes with "myth," and the second word sounds like "disease" (the illness). The stress falls on both the first word and the first syllable of the second word, so you're saying FIFTH (louder) dih-ZEEZ (slightly quieter).
How many syllables does 'Fifth Disease' have?
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It has three syllables total: FIFTH (one syllable) + dis-EASE (two syllables). When you say it all together, it flows as: FIFTH / dih / ZEEZ.
Which syllable gets the stress in 'Fifth Disease'?
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Both words are stressed: FIFTH gets a strong emphasis, and ZEEZ (the second syllable of "disease") also gets stress. A common mistake is to stress the first syllable of "disease" (saying "DIH-zeez") instead of the second syllable—remember it's dih-ZEEZ.
What do the word parts in 'Fifth Disease' mean?
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"Fifth" simply means number 5—it's called this because it was historically the fifth rash-causing illness identified in children. "Disease" comes from Old French and means a lack of ease or comfort; in medical use, it just means an illness or condition.
Why is it called 'Fifth Disease' and not given a different name?
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Doctors named it "Fifth Disease" because when they were classifying childhood illnesses that cause rashes, this one was the fifth one they identified and named. The other numbered diseases are now mostly outdated terms, but "Fifth Disease" stuck around and is still commonly used today.
Is there a shorter way to refer to Fifth Disease?
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While Fifth Disease doesn't have a single common abbreviation, it's sometimes called "erythema infectiosum" by doctors, which is its medical Latin name. Most people just say "Fifth Disease" or "fifth disease" in conversation.
What's an everyday word for Fifth Disease?
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There isn't really a casual, non-medical term for it. Medical professionals use "Fifth Disease" or the Latin name "erythema infectiosum," so if you're talking to a doctor or nurse, stick with "Fifth Disease."
Can you use 'Fifth Disease' in a sentence?
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Sure! Here's an example: "The doctor said my daughter has Fifth Disease, which is why she has that distinctive rash on her face." You can use it just like you'd use the name of any other illness.
Is 'disease' spelled differently in medical terms?
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No—"disease" is spelled the same way everywhere: D-I-S-E-A-S-E. It's pronounced dih-ZEEZ in Fifth Disease, just like when you say any other disease name (like heart disease or lung disease).