flu English · revision 10773

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=clipping|attested=1839|origins=en influenza}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /fluː/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a shortening of [[influenza]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Influenza: 1839, as flue, in Southey's Letters.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The spelling flu is first recorded in 1893.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Etymonline notes that keeping the middle syllable is an unusual way of shortening a word in English, and Weekley compared tec for detective.^(Etymonline) Informally the word is also used of other viral infections, such as gastric flu.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1839 – flue.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1893 – flu.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(informal)'' [[influenza|alt=Influenza]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Any of various viral infections, especially of the stomach or chest.^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[blue flu]]

+ * [[swine flu]]

+ * [[yuppie flu]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[influenza]]

+ * [[influence]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}