pertussis

noun

per·​tus·​sis pər-ˈtə-səs How to pronounce pertussis (audio)
: whooping cough

Examples of pertussis in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most parents have never watched a baby struggle through pertussis or rotavirus or seen a child hospitalized with complications of measles. — CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 For example, in 1894, Massachusetts created a public drug manufacturer and research lab known as MassBiologics, which has produced vaccines for smallpox, tetanus, typhoid, and pertussis, among other biologic products. — Joel Dodge, STAT, 14 Oct. 2026 Even though outbreaks are not currently reported for mumps, rubella, pertussis or tetanus, the environment is ripe. — Sheldon H. Jacobson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026 Nationwide, the share of kids with any exemption has risen for four consecutive years, while vaccination rates fell for the shots for measles, mumps and rubella; polio; tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and diphtheria; and chickenpox. — Meg Wingerter, Denver Post, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for pertussis

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin per- thoroughly + tussis cough

First Known Use

circa 1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pertussis was circa 1772

Rhymes for pertussis

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Browse Nearby Words

Pertusaria
pertussis
Peru
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pertussis.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pertussis. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pertussis

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pertussis

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