pneumonic

adjective

pneu·​mon·​ic nu̇-ˈmä-nik How to pronounce pneumonic (audio)
nyu̇-
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
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.
The most serious form, known as pneumonic tularemia, develops after someone breathes in infected dust or aerosols. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 3 Aug. 2026 Part of the scenario involved the weaponization of pneumonic plague by a terrorist cell in Denver. — Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 25 July 2026 Bubonic plague spreads through flea bites, but pneumonic plague is a respiratory disease, which spreads in a similar way to the flu or COVID-19, and that seems to be how this early version would have passed from person to person. — ArsTechnica, 18 June 2026 In 2003, the city of Chicago participated in TOPOFF 2, a national terrorism response exercise simulating a radiological attack in Seattle and the release of pneumonic plague in Chicago. — Lauren Buitta, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 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

Rhymes for pneumonic

See All Rhymes for pneumonic

Browse Nearby Words

pneumonia
pneumonic
pneumonitis
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pneumonic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pneumonic. Accessed 7 Aug. 2026.

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Medical Definition

pneumonic

adjective
pneu·​mon·​ic n(y)u̇-ˈmän-ik How to pronounce pneumonic (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or affecting the lungs : pulmonary
2
: of, relating to, or affected with pneumonia
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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