flu

(flū)
n. Informal
Influenza.

[Short for INFLUENZA.]

View more Health videos

a 19th century shortening of influenza, is used (with or without the) as often as the full form, except in more formal contexts. The older form 'flu (with initial apostrophe) has dropped out of use.

Previous:	flounder, founder, flotsam and jetsam, flotation
Next:	flunkey, fly, flyer, flier

IN BRIEF: An illness caused by a virus.

Flu season is usually during the winter of every year.

Tutor's tip: Sick with the "flu," (short for the infection influenza), she closed the "flue" (a shaft that removes smoke from a fireplace) to shut out the cold air. At that moment a flock of geese "flew" (past tense of fly) by..

LearnThatWord.com is a free vocabulary and spelling program where you only pay for results!

Chronic obstructive lung disease. See chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

For a list of words related to flu, see:

• Diseases and Infestations - flu: influenza

---

See words rhyming with "flu."

  See crossword solutions for the clue Flu.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - influenza

Nederlands (Dutch)
griep

Français (French)
n. - grippe

Deutsch (German)
n. - Grippe

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (παθολ.) γρίπη

Italiano (Italian)
influenza

Português (Portuguese)
n., -
abbr. - gripe (f) (influenza) (Med.)

Русский (Russian)
грипп, инфлюэнца

Español (Spanish)
n. - gripe, influenza

Svenska (Swedish)
abbr. - flunsan (vard.)
n. - influensan

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
流行性感冒

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 流行性感冒

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 독감, 감기

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - インフルエンザ, 流感

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) الإنفلونزا‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮שפעת‬

If you are unable to view some languages clearly, click here.

To select your translation preferences click here.