febrile

American  

[fee-bruhl, feb-ruhl, fee-brahyl] / ˈfi brəl, ˈfɛb rəl, ˈfi braɪl /

adjective

1. pertaining to or marked by fever; feverish.

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febrile British  

/ ˈfiːbraɪl, fɪˈbrɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to fever; feverish

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Usage

What does febrile mean? Febrile is a more formal way of saying feverish—having a fever.A fever is an abnormally high body temperature, typically as the result of illness. In general, febrile can mean somehow related to or marked by fever. It is commonly used in formal medical contexts, but it can also be used metaphorically to describe situations marked by a state of anxious excitement.Example: Nothing is worse than the febrile sweat that comes with the flu.

Other Word Forms

• febrility noun
• nonfebrile adjective
• postfebrile adjective
• unfebrile adjective

Etymology

Origin of febrile

1645–55; < New Latin, Medieval Latin febrīlis. See fever, -ile

Compare meaning

How does febrile compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• febrile vs. afebrile

Example Sentences

A pumped-up Volkanovski, a former rugby league player, basked in the adoration of the febrile 20,000-person crowd at Qudos Bank Arena in his first world title defence on Australian soil.

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

The revs are but an airy figment in your febrile mind.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 28, 2026

HHV-6B infects roughly 90 percent of children by age two and is best known for causing roseola infantum -- or "sixth disease" -- the most common cause of febrile seizures in young children.

From Science Daily • Jan. 7, 2026

He was the wicketkeeper who famously stumped Jonny Bairstow at Lord's in the 2023 series, resulting in a febrile final day.

From BBC • Dec. 17, 2025

The articles suited the tenor of the moment established by Senator Joseph McCarthy’s febrile accusations of Communist influence in every corner of government.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik