Refers specifically to a respiratory illness, not to be confused with a common cold. Although she thought it was just a cold, her persistent cough was diagnosed as bronchitis.
Pro Tip 2/3
Severity Levels
Can be 'acute' for short-term or 'chronic' for long-lasting, indicating seriousness. His chronic bronchitis is a result of smoking for many years.
Pro Tip 3/3
Collocations Matter
Often used with verbs like 'suffer from', 'develop', or 'be diagnosed with'. After weeks of a bad cough, she was diagnosed with bronchitis.