Dysenterical

/ˌdɪsənˈtɛrɪkəl/ adjective

Definition

Relating to dysentery; affected by or characteristic of dysentery.

Etymology

An alternative adjective form of dysentery, using the suffix -ical instead of -ic. Both forms exist in medical English, with -ical sometimes preferred in more formal or older medical texts, though -ical is less common in modern usage.

Kelly Says

The existence of both 'dysenteric' and 'dysenterical' shows how English medical language once had more variation before standardizing on shorter forms. Older medical texts are full of these -ical variants that mostly disappeared.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.