diarrhoea

Everyday

Diarrhoea is an illness or condition in which a person has to go to the toilet very often, and the poo is runny and watery. tree →

In the lessons

In health lessons diarrhoea is often caused by germs, so washing your hands after the toilet and before eating helps stop it spreading. When you have diarrhoea you must drink plenty of water, because the body loses water quickly (dehydration). Phrases: have diarrhoea, a bout of diarrhoea, sickness and diarrhoea.

Examples

• She stayed home from school with diarrhoea. tree →
• Wash your hands to stop germs that cause diarrhoea. tree →
• Drink lots of water if you have diarrhoea. tree →
• The baby had diarrhoea, so the parents called the doctor. tree →
• Bad food can give you sickness and diarrhoea. tree →
• Dirty water can cause diarrhoea. tree →

Note

Uncountable: no «a», no plural (I have diarrhoea). Spelling trap: British diarrhoea, American diarrhea; remember double r and «rh». Pronounced dy-a-REE-a. It is the opposite of being constipated. See a doctor if it lasts long or if a baby has it.