LURGY

Etymology

Noun

lurgy (plural lurgies)

(British, slang) A fictitious, highly infectious disease; often used in the phrase "the dreaded lurgi", sometimes as a reference to flu-like symptoms

(British, slang) Any uncategorised disease with symptoms similar to a cold or flu that renders one unable to work.

Usage notes

• Phrases like "I've got the lurgi" are commonly heard when somebody is explaining why they cannot attend a social occasion, come to work, etc.

• The term is also used in the context of playground games. For example, "You can't play with us; you've got the lurgi!" could be used when excluding another child from a group.

Anagrams

• gurly

Source: Wiktionary



RESET




Word of the Day

28 May 2025

AIR

(noun) a distinctive but intangible quality surrounding a person or thing; “an air of mystery”; “the house had a neglected air”; “an atmosphere of defeat pervaded the candidate’s headquarters”; “the place had an aura of romance”


coffee icon

Coffee Trivia

Some 16th-century Italian clergymen tried to ban coffee because they believed it to be “satanic.” However, Pope Clement VII loved coffee so much that he lifted the ban and had coffee baptized in 1600.

coffee icon