jungle fever

[juhng-guhl fee-ver]

noun

1. Pathology.,  a severe variety of malarial fever occurring in the East Indies and the tropics.

2. Slang: Sometimes Offensive.,  a person’s preference for a sexual or romantic relationship that is interracial, especially the preference of a white person for a Black partner.

jungle fever

noun

1. a serious malarial fever occurring in the East Indies

Word History and Origins

Origin of jungle fever¹

First recorded in 1795–1805, and in 1960–65 jungle fever for def. 2