Grippe

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ɡɹɪp/

Definitions

1. A highly contagious viral respiratory illness characterized by sudden onset of fever, body aches, fatigue, and cough, typically occurring in seasonal outbreaks
2. A viral infection affecting the respiratory system that presents with symptoms such as fever, muscle pain, extreme fatigue, and coughing during specific seasonal periods
3. This illness, often characterized by fever, chills, and severe body aches, commonly spreads through respiratory droplets and can lead to widespread outbreaks

Etymology: The disease got its name from a verb meaning to seize. French "gripper" meant "to seize, snatch," and the illness was called "grippe" because it seemed to grab hold of its victims suddenly. That French verb came from Frankish "grīpan," a Germanic word for grasping, and the same root sits behind English "gripe" and "grip." The name was borrowed from French and spread into many of the world's languages, carrying with it the image of an ailment that snatches a person down all at once. Here the word is less a description of symptoms than a metaphor for how quickly the sickness takes hold.

Synonyms: influenza, flu