French Conversation · Level 96
60 words
French word
pneumocoque
Pronunciation
IPA/pnømokɔk/
Meaning
- masculine nounpneumococcus
Example
La vaccination protège contre le pneumocoque.
Vaccination protects against pneumococcus.
More examples
Le médecin dit que le pneumocoque peut provoquer une pneumonie.
The doctor says that pneumococcus can cause pneumonia.
Core concept
A tiny round bacterium linked to infections of the lungs and other airways.
Similar words
pneumonie: A disease involving inflammation of the lung tissue.
bactérie: A self-reproducing, single-celled microorganism, some types of which cause disease.
virus: A very small pathogen that multiplies only inside another organism's cells.
germe: A general word for a small organism or part of one that causes disease.
Definition in French
Bactérie de forme sphérique qui peut provoquer des infections des poumons et d'autres voies respiratoires.
Word origin
The word combines pneumo-, from Greek pneumon for 'lung', with -coque, from Greek kokkos for 'berry' or 'grain', through scientific medical vocabulary.
Usage tips
- Pneumocoque is masculine, so standard usage is le pneumocoque, including in vaccination contre le pneumocoque.