How to Pronounce Legionellosis
Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling
Legionellosis Pronunciation
lee-juh-nel-OH-sis
Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables
Syllable Breakdown
lee
juh
nel
OH
stress here
sis
5 syllables
What is Legionellosis?
An infection caused by Legionella bacteria, encompassing both Legionnaires' disease (severe pneumonia) and Pontiac fever (mild flu-like illness). The bacteria grow in water systems and cause infection when people inhale contaminated water droplets; it is not contagious from person to person.
Questions About Legionellosis
How do you pronounce legionellosis?
+
Legionellosis is pronounced lee-juh-nel-OH-sis. Break it into five syllables: lee-juh-nel-OH-sis. The stress falls on the fourth syllable, so you say it with emphasis on the "OH" part: lee-juh-nel-**OH**-sis.
What is the most common mispronunciation of this word?
+
Many people stress the wrong syllable and say lee-JUN-el-oh-sis or leg-ee-oh-NEL-oh-sis. The correct way puts the stress on the "OH" in the fourth syllable: lee-juh-nel-**OH**-sis. Remembering that the stress is toward the end of the word can help you get it right.
What does the word legionellosis mean in plain English?
+
Legionellosis is the medical name for an infection caused by a specific type of bacteria. In simpler terms, it's a disease you can catch by breathing in contaminated water droplets. The word actually describes both a severe form and a mild form of this infection.
Where does the word legionellosis come from?
+
The word comes from "Legionella," which is the name of the bacteria that causes the infection. The bacteria was named after a 1976 outbreak at an American Legion convention in Philadelphia. The ending "-osis" is a Greek suffix that means "condition" or "disease," so legionellosis literally means "the condition caused by Legionella bacteria."
How do you break legionellosis into syllables?
+
Legionellosis breaks into five syllables: lee-juh-nel-OH-sis. Notice that the middle part "nel" comes from the bacteria name "Legionella," and the ending "osis" is its own syllable: oh-sis.
What are some related words that share the same root?
+
Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever are both forms of legionellosis—they're the two main ways this infection shows up in people. You might also see "Legionella" by itself, which is simply the name of the bacteria. All these words share the "Legion" part because the bacteria was discovered after that famous Philadelphia convention.
Can you use legionellosis in a simple sentence?
+
Here's an example: "The patient was diagnosed with legionellosis after staying at a hotel with contaminated water systems." The word legionellosis works as a noun—it's the name of the disease itself.
Is there a shorter way to say legionellosis?
+
In medical settings, doctors might use shorter names for the two forms of the disease: Legionnaires' disease (the more serious form) or Pontiac fever (the milder form). However, legionellosis is the formal medical term that covers both types.