Meaning & use
sequela
Last updated
UK/sɪˈkwiːlə/
US/sɪˈkwiːlə/
Meaning
nouncountable
A lasting health problem that is caused by an earlier illness, injury or treatment.
Grammar: Singular form; the plural is sequelae: one sequela, two sequelae.
Patterns
- a sequela of something
- sequela to something
Chronic cough was a sequela of the infection.
Doctors noted memory loss as a sequela of the head injury.
The study tracked long-term sequelae after surgery.
Word forms
| plural | sequelae |
|---|
Common combinations
- long-term sequelae
- Long-term sequelae can appear years later.
- a sequela of
- Paralysis was a sequela of the stroke.
- serious sequela
- A serious sequela followed the fever.
- neurological sequelae
- The child had neurological sequelae.
Synonyms and how they differ
- aftereffect
- Everyday and general, not limited to medicine.
- complication
- A problem that arises during or after illness, not necessarily lasting.
- consequence
- Much broader, not specific to health.
Word family
- sequelae noun
- plural of sequela
Commonly confused: sequela or sequel?
sequela vs sequel
A sequel is a later book or film continuing a story; a sequela is a medical aftereffect.
Practice
The report lists several ___ of the disease, including hearing loss.
Choose one answer.
Several requires the plural, which is sequelae. Sequels refers to continuations of stories.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “sequela”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
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