ETYM Latin diarrhoea, Greek diarroia, from diarrein to flow through; dia + rein to flow; akin to Eng. stream. Related to Stream.
(Alternate spelling: diarrhoea)
Frequent and watery bowel movements; SYN. diarrhoea, looseness of the bowels.
Excessive action of the bowels so that the feces are fluid or semifluid. It is caused by intestinal irritants (including some drugs and poisons), infection with harmful organisms (as in dysentery, salmonella, or cholera), or allergies.
Diarrhea is the biggest killer of children in the world. The World Health Organization estimates that 4.5 million children die each year from dehydration as a result of diarrheal disease in Third World countries. It can be treated by giving an accurately measured aqueous solution of salt and glucose by mouth in large quantities (salt water with sugar, to restore the electrolyte balance in the blood). Since most diarrhea is viral in origin, antibiotics are ineffective.