# flu

Pronunciation: say "FLOO" US /flu/, UK /fluː/, AUS /flʉː/

## Noun

1. A contagious illness caused by the influenza virus, bringing fever, muscle aches, fatigue, and respiratory symptoms.
   - Simple: A common illness that gives you fever, aches, and a cough, caused by a virus.
   - _She caught the flu and stayed home from work all week._
   - _Every winter, the flu spreads quickly through crowded schools and offices._
2. A short-lived stomach and intestinal illness causing nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, despite not actually being caused by the influenza virus. *(colloquial)*
   - Simple: A short sickness that makes you throw up and have an upset stomach.
   - _The whole family came down with the flu after the picnic, and everyone was throwing up by midnight._
   - _I couldn't keep anything down for two days with that flu going around the office._

## Origin

A shortened form of "influenza."

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/flu (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).