tertian

[ tur-shuhn ]

adjective

1. Pathology. (of a malarial fever, etc.) characterized by paroxysms that recur every other day.

noun

1. Pathology. a tertian fever.
2. a Jesuit during the period of tertianship.

tertian

/ ˈtɜːʃən /

adjective

1. (of a fever or the symptoms of a disease, esp malaria) occurring every other day

noun

1. a tertian fever or symptoms

Other Words From

• sub·tertian adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tertian¹

1325–75; Middle English terciane < Latin ( febris ) tertiāna tertian (fever), equivalent to terti ( us ) third + -āna, feminine of -ānus -an

Word History and Origins

Origin of tertian¹

C14: from Latin febris tertiāna fever occurring every third day, reckoned inclusively, from tertius third

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

With the tertian parasite, the segments more frequently form an irregular cluster.

From Project Gutenberg

Physicians skilled in magic applied three seeds of three-leaved grass to tertian ague, and four to a quartian.

From Project Gutenberg

From this I contracted a severe cold, which ended in a tertian ague.

From Project Gutenberg