fever
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
English [edit]
Alternative forms [edit]
- fevre (obsolete, rare)
Etymology [edit]
From Middle English, from Old French fievre, reinforced by native Old English fēfor, from Latin febris (“a fever”), from ferveō (“to be hot, burn, boil”); or perhaps literally 'a trembling', akin to Greek φέβεσθαι (febesthai, “to flee affrighted”), φόβος (phobos, “flight, panic fear, fear, terror”).
Pronunciation [edit]
- (RP) IPA: /ˈfiːvə/, X-SAMPA: /"fi:v@/
- (GenAm) IPA: /ˈfiːvɚ/, X-SAMPA: /"fi:v@`/
-
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -iːvə(r)
- Hyphenation: fe‧ver
Noun [edit]
fever (plural fevers)
- A higher than normal body temperature of a person (or, generally, a mammal), usually caused by disease.
- "I have a fever. I think I've caught a cold."
- (usually in combination with one or more preceding words) Any of various diseases.
- A state of excitement (of a person or people).
- A group of stingrays.
Synonyms [edit]
- (higher than normal body temperature): high temperature, pyrexia (medical term), temperature
- (state of excitement): excitation, excitement, passion
Derived terms [edit]
Terms derived from fever
Related terms [edit]
Translations [edit]
higher than normal body temperature
|
|
usually in combination: any of various diseases
state of excitement (of a person or people)
See also [edit]
Verb [edit]
fever (third-person singular simple present fevers, present participle fevering, simple past and past participle fevered)
- To put into a fever; to affect with fever.
- a fevered lip
- The white hand of a lady fever thee. — Shakespeare.
External links [edit]
- fever in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
- fever in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911