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difficile Definition

dif·fi·cile (dif′ə sēl′, dē′fē-)

adjective

hard or difficult; esp., hard to deal with, please, etc.

Etymology: MFr < L difficilis, difficult: reintroduced < Fr

difficile Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • associate: In addition, patients who are affected with C difficile associated diarrhea are nursed in a side room wherever possible.
  • catch: Healthy people are at very little risk of catching Clostridium difficile.

Modifies a noun

  • toxin: Hospitals sent C. difficile toxin positive stool samples for analysis by regional HPA laboratories.
  • diarrhea: Table 1: Combinations of therapy associated with Clostridium difficile diarrhea.
  • infection: Q. What are the symptoms of C. difficile infection?
  • bacterium: Spores are produced when Clostridium difficile bacteria encounter unfavorable conditions, such as being outside the body.
  • rate: Clostridium difficile rates are monitored nationally and our rates are not a cause for concern.

Noun used with modifier

  • clostridium: He says: " Clostridium difficile does occur naturally in the gut of some people.
  • bacterium: Dr. Wilcox recently chaired a working party looking at diarrhoeal infections caused by the bacterium Clostridium difficile, spread primarily in hospitals.