quartan

[ kwawr-tn ]

adjective

1. (of a fever, ague, etc.) characterized by paroxysms that recur every fourth day, both days of consecutive occurrence being counted.

noun

1. a quartan fever or ague.
2. quartan malaria.

quartan

/ ˈkwɔːtən /

adjective

1. (esp of a malarial fever) occurring every third day

Word History and Origins

Origin of quartan¹

1250–1300; Middle English quartaine < Old French < Latin ( febris ) quartāna quartan (fever), feminine of quartānus, equivalent to quart ( us ) fourth + -ānus -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of quartan¹

C13: from Latin febris quartāna fever occurring every fourth day, reckoned inclusively

Example Sentences

Three varieties are associated with malarial fever in man—the tertian, quartan, and estivo-autumnal malarial parasites.

From Project Gutenberg

Tertian segmenting forms are less frequently typical than quartan.

From Project Gutenberg

Quartan, kwor′tan, adj. occurring every fourth day, as a fever or ague.

From Project Gutenberg

Favorinus extolled Thersites, and wrote in praise of a quartan ague.

From Project Gutenberg

When traveling in Europe, in the year 1825, I was attacked with very severe quartan fever.

From Project Gutenberg