n.
Pronunciation: dif- ' thir- ē - ə , ÷dip-
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin, from French diphthérie, from Greek diphthera leather; from the toughness of the false membrane
Date: circa 1851
: an acute febrile contagious disease typically marked by the formation of a false membrane especially in the throat and caused by a gram-positive bacterium ( Corynebacterium diphtheriae ) that produces a toxin causing inflammation of the heart and nervous system
– diph · the · ri · al \ - ē - ə l \ adjective
– diph · the · rit · ic \ ˌ dif-th ə - ' ri-tik, ÷ ˌ dip- \ adjective