scarlet fever

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a contagious febrile disease caused by streptococci and characterized by a scarlet eruption.

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scarlet fever British  

noun

1. Technical name: scarlatina.  an acute communicable disease characterized by fever, strawberry-coloured tongue, and a typical rash starting on the neck and chest and spreading to the abdomen and limbs, caused by all group A haemolytic Streptococcus bacteria

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scarlet fever Scientific  

/ skär′lĭt /

1. A severe acute infectious disease caused by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, occurring mainly in children, and marked by high fever, sore throat and a red skin rash.

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scarlet fever Cultural  

1. An acute and contagious disease caused by a kind of streptococcus. Characterized by fever, sore throat, and a bright red rash, scarlet fever can be treated with penicillin.

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Etymology

Origin of scarlet fever

First recorded in 1670–80

Compare meaning

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

• scarlet fever vs. roseola

Example Sentences

He was socially awkward and expelled from school for poor grades - his work badly affected by a bout of scarlet fever.

From BBC

Smith, who was born in 1946, was often bed-ridden as a young girl, afflicted with tuberculosis and scarlet fever, along with all the usual childhood ailments.

From Los Angeles Times

Italian prisoner Primo Levi was lying in a camp hospital with scarlet fever when the Soviet liberators arrived.

From BBC

And then she had to sacrifice herself to scarlet fever because she wore the red gown.

From Salon

The disease is characterized by respiratory symptoms, fever, conjunctivitis and a rash that can be mistaken for roseola, scarlet fever or other viral infections.

From New York Times