tubercular
tubercular Lexical Profile
tubercular Game Scores & Validity
• adjective
Relating to, affected with, or caused by tuberculosis.
"Early twentieth-century sanatoriums were built in high-altitude regions to treat tubercular patients with fresh mountain air."
Relating to, resembling, or characterized by small rounded nodules, swellings, or tubercles.
"The pathologist examined the tubercular lesions on the tissue sample under a high-powered microscope."
• noun
A person who is afflicted with tuberculosis.
"The charitable hospital opened a dedicated wing to provide long-term care for indigent tuberculars."
Word Nuance & Usage
In strict medical usage, 'tuberculous' refers specifically to conditions caused by the tuberculosis bacterium, whereas 'tubercular' describes any anatomical structure or lesion characterized by small nodules (tubercles); however, in general usage, the two words are frequently used interchangeably.
• Rhymes for tubercular
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the mid-18th century from New Latin 'tubercularis', derived from Latin 'tuberculum' (a small swelling, bump, or pimple), the diminutive form of 'tuber' (lump or hump).