fever

[fee-ver]

noun

1. an abnormal condition of the body, characterized by undue rise in temperature, quickening of the pulse, and disturbance of various body functions.

2. an abnormally high body temperature.

3. the number of degrees of such a temperature above the normal.

4. any of a group of diseases in which high temperature is a prominent symptom.

   scarlet fever.

5. intense nervous excitement.

   The audience was in a fever of anticipation.

verb (used with object)

1. to affect with or as with fever.

   The excitement fevered him.

fever

/ ˈfiːvə /

noun

1. an abnormally high body temperature, accompanied by a fast pulse rate, dry skin, etc

2. any of various diseases, such as yellow fever or scarlet fever, characterized by a high temperature

3. intense nervous excitement or agitation

   she was in a fever about her party

verb

1. (tr) to affect with or as if with fever

fever

1. A body temperature that is higher than normal. Fever is the body's natural response to the release of substances called pyrogens by infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses. The pyrogens stimulate the hypothalamus in the brain to conserve heat and increase the basal metabolic rate.

Other Word Forms

• feverless adjective
• unfevered adjective
• fevered adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of fever¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English fefer, from Latin febr-, stem of febris; reinforced by Anglo-French fevre, Old French fievre, from Latin, as above

Word History and Origins

Origin of fever¹

Old English fēfor , from Latin febris

Idioms and Phrases

see cabin fever; run a fever.

Example Sentences

Just weeks ago, Wall Street’s AI frenzy reached a fever pitch and minted Nvidia as the market’s first $5 trillion company.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Autumn steps forward and puts her hand on my forehead, as if checking for a fever.

Read more on Literature

Behind the windburn, Edward Ashton’s cheeks were bone white, and his black eyes glittered with fever.

Read more on Literature

Penelope pressed the palm of her hand against her forehead; she wondered if she might have a fever coming on.

Read more on Literature

“He has a fever of 101. I’ve been giving him Robitussin, Tylenol, aspirin, everything. But nothing works, and he’s getting worse.”

Read more on Literature

Related Words

• delirium 
• frenzy 
• turmoil