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nosocomial

adjective
nos路​o路​co路​mi路​al | \ 藢n盲-s蓹-藞k艒-m膿-蓹l How to pronounce nosocomial (audio) , 藢n艒-s蓹-\

Definition of nosocomial

: acquired or occurring in a hospital nosocomial infection
Other Words from nosocomial Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about nosocomial

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Did You Know?

Nosocomial is a word that usually occurs in formal medical contexts; specifically, in reference to hospital-acquired sickness. We hope you never encounter "nosocomial" as part of your own medical diagnosis, but if you do, you might want to remember that the term descends from "nosocomium," the Late Latin word for "hospital." "Nosocomium" in turn traces to the Greek nosos, meaning "disease." That root has given English other words as well, including "zoonosis" ("a disease communicable from animals to humans under natural conditions") and "nosology" ("a classification or list of diseases" or "a branch of medical science that deals with classification of diseases").

Examples of nosocomial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

 Everyone who can avoid nosocomial infections appreciates doing so; ditto a night uninterrupted by nurses or technicians waking one every hour, not to mention the noise and light that prevent rest, let alone sleep, in most hospitals. — WSJ, "Smart Medicine Can Help, but More Is Needed," 14 July 2017 Everyone who can avoid nosocomial infections appreciates doing so — WSJ, "Smart Medicine Can Help, but More Is Needed," 14 July 2017 While being treated, he鈥檇 been infected with sentiment, nostalgia, a nasty nosocomial case. — Zachary Lazar, New York Times, "A Novel of Desperate New Yorkers and Those Who Evict Them," 11 Aug. 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'nosocomial.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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First Known Use of nosocomial

circa 1843, in the meaning defined above

History and Etymology for nosocomial

Late Latin nosocomium hospital, from Late Greek nosokomeion, from Greek nosokomos one who tends the sick, from nosos disease + -komos; akin to Greek kamnein to suffer, toil, Sanskrit 艣膩myati he tires

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More Definitions for nosocomial

nosocomial

adjective
nos路​o路​co路​mi路​al | \ 藢n盲s-蓹-藞k艒-m膿-蓹l How to pronounce nosocomial (audio) \

Medical Definition of nosocomial

: acquired or occurring in a hospital nosocomial infection

Other Words from nosocomial

nosocomially \ -​膿 How to pronounce nosocomially (audio) \ adverb

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