fever

1 of 2

noun

fe·​ver ˈfē-vər How to pronounce fever (audio)
Synonyms of fevernext
1
a
: a rise of body temperature above the normal
b
: any of various diseases of which fever is a prominent symptom
2
a
: a state of heightened or intense emotion or activity
b
: a contagious usually transient enthusiasm : craze
see also:
run a fever

fever

2 of 2

verb

fevered; fevering ˈfe-vər-iŋ How to pronounce fever (audio)
ˈfē-vriŋ

transitive verb

: to throw into a fever : agitate

intransitive verb

: to contract or be in a fever : become feverish

Synonyms of fever

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Noun

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Examples of fever in a Sentence

Noun The symptoms of the disease include headache and fever. We waited in a fever of anticipation. He had us all in a fever with worry.
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Noun
Yet in September, Bangladesh reported a daily average of 1,198 new cases of measles, which causes a high fever, cough and telltale rash. — Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 Listeria’s high fevers can cause miscarriages and stillbirths in pregnant women. — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026 Shigella bacteria cause shigellosis, an illness characterized by severe diarrhea, that is sometimes bloody or prolonged, and fever. — Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026 Medications like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can safely reduce body temperature, though acetaminophen is usually the better choice for fevers. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fever

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English fēfer, from Latin febris

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of fever was before the 12th century

Phrases Containing fever

Rhymes for fever

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Browse Nearby Words

feux d'artifice
fever
fever and ague
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Fever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fever. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fever

noun
fe·​ver
ˈfē-vər
1
a
: a rise of body temperature above the normal
b
: a disease of which fever is an important symptom
2
: a state of excited emotion or activity

Medical Definition

fever

1 of 2 noun
fe·​ver ˈfē-vər How to pronounce fever (audio)
1
: a rise of body temperature above the normal whether a natural response (as to infection) or artificially induced for therapeutic reasons
2
: an abnormal bodily state characterized by increased production of heat, accelerated heart action and pulse, and systemic debility with weakness, loss of appetite, and thirst
3
: any of various diseases of which fever is a prominent symptom

fever

2 of 2 verb
fevered; fevering ˈfēv-(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce fever (audio)

transitive verb

: to affect with fever
the malarial plasmodia fevered him

intransitive verb

: to contract or be in a fever : be or become feverish
the malaria victim fevered intermittently

More from Merriam-Webster on fever

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fever

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