sextan

American

[sek-stuhn] / ˈsɛk stən /

adjective

(of a fever) characterized by paroxysms that recur every sixth day.

noun

a sextan fever.

sextan British

/ ˈsɛkstən /

adjective

(of a fever) marked by paroxysms that recur after an interval of five days

"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 sextan

First recorded in 1650–60; from New Latin sextān(a) (febris) “sixth day (fever),” equivalent to Latin sext(us) sixth + āna -an

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.

The more important of these fevers or febrile conditions are: Ephemeral Hemitertian Double quartan Interpolated Synocha Causon synochides Epilala Quotidian Double tertian Quintan Continued Causon Putrid Lipparia Tertian Quartan Sextan Synochus Synochus causonides Ethica Erratica Some of these names are still preserved in our nosologies of the present day; others will be recalled by the memories of our older physicians, and a few have totally disappeared from our modern medical nomenclature.

From Project Gutenberg

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023