1
: of, relating to, or affecting the lungs
pneumonic plague
: pulmonic, pulmonary
2
: of, relating to, or affected with pneumonia

Examples of pneumonic in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The pneumonic plague can spread between humans, but even that remains rare. Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 July 2025 The sylvatic plague is the same bacterium that causes bubonic and pneumonic plague in humans. Catherine Reagor, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025 Cats are more susceptible and can quickly become sick and actually can progress to pneumonic plague. Lauren J. Young, Scientific American, 15 July 2025 Symptoms of plague and how to protect yourself The three different types of plague — bubonic, septicemic and pneumonic — have some differing symptoms, though many of the fundamental signs are the same. Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for pneumonic

Word History

Etymology

New Latin pneumonicus, from Greek pneumonikos, from pneumōn

First Known Use

1668, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pneumonic was in 1668

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pneumonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pneumonic. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

Medical Definition

pneumonic

adjective
1
: of, relating to, or affecting the lungs : pulmonary
2
: of, relating to, or affected with pneumonia
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