typhus

[ tahy-fuhs ]
See synonyms for typhus on Thesaurus.com
nounPathology.
  1. an acute, infectious disease caused by several species of Rickettsia, transmitted by lice and fleas, and characterized by acute prostration, headache, and a peculiar eruption of reddish spots on the body.

Origin of typhus

1
1635–45; <New Latin <Greek tŷphos vapor
  • Also called typhus fever.

Other words from typhus

  • typhous, adjective

Words Nearby typhus

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use typhus in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for typhus

typhus

/ (ˈtaɪfəs) /


noun
  1. any one of a group of acute infectious rickettsial diseases characterized by high fever, skin rash, and severe headache: Also called: typhus fever

Origin of typhus

1
C18: from New Latin tӯphus, from Greek tuphos fever; related to tuphein to smoke

Derived forms of typhus

  • typhous, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for typhus

typhus

[ fəs ]


  1. Any of several forms of an infectious disease caused by bacteria of the genus Rickettsia transmitted by fleas, mites, or especially lice, and characterized by severe headache, high fever, and skin rash. Louse-born bacteria that cause typhus are especially virulent and can cause epidemics of the disease, which may be fatal in people with weakened immune systems.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Cultural definitions for typhus

typhus

[ (teye-fuhs) ]


A group of acute and contagious diseases, often fatal, marked by severe headaches and high fever. Typhus is transmitted to humans by fleas, lice, or mites that are infected with the microorganism that causes the disease.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.