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blackwater fever

American  

noun

Pathology.
  1. a severe form of malaria characterized by kidney damage and hemoglobinuria resulting in urine that is dark red or black.


blackwater fever British  

noun

  1. med a rare and serious complication of malaria, characterized by massive destruction of red blood cells, producing dark red or blackish urine

"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

Etymology

Origin of blackwater fever

First recorded in 1880–85


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The disease can produce severe maternal anemia, iron deficiency, or it can spread to the kidneys and the lungs and cause a condition known as blackwater fever.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2024

Utterly finished, the major contracted blackwater fever in jail and died too.

From Time Magazine Archive

But it seemed as if the fates would snatch from him all enjoyment of the laurels he had won, for on their way towards Nairobi, Alec and Dr. Adamson were attacked by blackwater fever.

From The Explorer by W. Somerset (William Somerset) Maugham

One dare not go into the jungle—it's too full of malaria and blackwater fever.

From The Jungle Girl by Gordon Casserly

One later letter begged for financial assistance to tide him over the coming months; for his wife and children had been ill and he himself in hospital at Korogwe with blackwater fever for two months.

From Sketches of the East Africa Campaign by Robert Valentine Dolbey

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