hepatitis B

noun

: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a DNA virus (Orthohepadnavirus hominoidei of the family Hepadnaviridae), is marked chiefly by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, jaundice, and joint pain but may be asymptomatic, and is transmitted especially by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by sharing contaminated needles in illicit intravenous drug use) or by contact with other infected bodily fluids (such as semen)

Note: The acute form of hepatitis B, a mild illness lasting several weeks to months, may progress to long-term or chronic infection often leading to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

called also serum hepatitis

Examples of hepatitis B in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In October, the World Health Organization validated the Maldives for the hepatitis B part of this trifecta. Fran Kritz, NPR, 30 Dec. 2025 Of the pediatric vaccines on the CDC’s schedule that are missing from Denmark’s universal recommendations, just three — for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and meningococcal vaccines — contain aluminum salts. Aria Bendix, NBC news, 26 Dec. 2025 Denmark also does not recommend vaccinating against hepatitis B for all infants, as well as hepatitis A and rotavirus for any infants and children. Lena H. Sun, Arkansas Online, 21 Dec. 2025 Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended a long-standing recommendation that all newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 20 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for hepatitis B

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hepatitis B was in 1971

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Cite this Entry

“Hepatitis B.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hepatitis%20B. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.

Medical Definition

hepatitis B

noun
: an acute or chronic hepatitis that is caused by a double-stranded DNA virus (Orthohepadnavirus hominoidei of the family Hepadnaviridae), is marked chiefly by fatigue, fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, darkened urine, jaundice, and joint pain but may be asymptomatic, and is transmitted especially by contact with infected blood (as by transfusion or by sharing contaminated needles in illicit intravenous drug use) or by contact with other infected body fluids (such as semen)

Note: The acute form of hepatitis B, a mild illness lasting several weeks to months, may progress to long-term or chronic infection often leading to liver damage, liver failure, or liver cancer.

called also homologous serum hepatitis, homologous serum jaundice, serum hepatitis

More from Merriam-Webster on hepatitis B

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