Main Entry: ty·phus

Pronunciation: \ˈtī-fəs\

Function: noun

Etymology: New Latin, from Greek typhos fever; akin to Greek typhein to smoke — more at deaf

Date: 1785

: any of various bacterial diseases caused by rickettsias: as a : a severe human febrile disease that is caused by one (Rickettsia prowazekii) transmitted especially by body lice and is marked by high fever, stupor alternating with delirium, intense headache, and a dark red rash b : murine typhus c : scrub typhus