What does catarrh mean?
Catarrh refers to an excessive accumulation of mucus in the nose, throat, or chest, usually resulting from inflammation of the mucous membranes during a cold, sinus infection, or allergic reaction. Sufferers may experience a blocked or runny nose, a persistent cough brought on by mucus dripping down the back of the throat, hoarseness, or a general sense of congestion. The word is used primarily in British English, where it remains a familiar if somewhat traditional term in both everyday and medical conversation; Americans are more likely to speak of congestion or postnasal drip instead. Catarrh can describe either a short-lived symptom of a passing illness or a long-standing, chronic condition. Derived from Greek roots meaning 'to flow down,' it reflects an older medical worldview that traced such complaints to fluids descending from the head. Today it survives as a useful, precise word for a common and uncomfortable complaint.
nounExcessive discharge or buildup of mucus in the nose, throat, or airways, typically caused by inflammation of the mucous membranes as during a cold or allergy.
- Excessive mucus in the nasal passages, throat, or chest, especially accompanying a cold, sinus infection, or allergy.
"A stubborn catarrh kept her coughing for weeks after the cold had otherwise cleared."
"The damp winter left half the village suffering from catarrh."
"His chronic catarrh finally eased once he started treating the underlying allergies."
The plural is rare and mostly confined to medical writing referring to multiple cases or recurrent episodes; catarrh is almost always treated as a singular condition.
"The clinic recorded several catarrhs among patients that winter."
Catarrh comes from Greek words meaning 'to flow down' — the ancient Greeks literally described it as a disease flowing down from the head into the body.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of catarrh
Catarrh derives from the late Latin catarrhus, borrowed from Greek katarrhous, formed from kata- ('down') and rhein ('to flow'), reflecting the ancient idea of bodily humours flowing downward from the head. It entered English in the early modern period, by the 16th century, as a medical term for inflammation with free discharge from the mucous membranes. It shares its kata- prefix with many other Greek-derived words such as catastrophe, catapult, and catalogue.
Related word forms
How catarrh is actually used
Catarrh is chiefly a British term and appears most often in formal, medical, or old-fashioned contexts; American speakers more commonly say congestion or postnasal drip. It carries no strong connotations but can sound slightly dated or clinical in everyday speech.
Easily confused with catarrh
Catercorner means positioned diagonally; catarrh is a mucus-related medical condition.