Diarrhoeal

/ˌdaɪəˈroʊəl/ adjective

Definition

British spelling of 'diarrheal'; relating to or causing diarrhea.

Etymology

From the British spelling of 'diarrhoea' (Greek 'diarrhoia') + suffix '-al', maintaining the '-oe-' diphthong from older English conventions.

Kelly Says

British English keeps the Greek 'oe' spelling in 'diarrhoea' while American English simplified it to 'diarrhea'—this split happened in the 1800s when spelling standards diverged.

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