sterile meningitis [L, sterilis, barren; Gk, meninx, membrane, itis, inflammation] , a form of nonbacterial meningitis, which usually involves a viral infection but also may be drug-induced, in which there is a primarily lymphocytic response in the cerebrospinal fluid. Also called benign lymphocytic meningitis, simple meningitis. See also aseptic meningitis.
