dengue

noun

den·​gue ˈdeŋ-gē 

-ˌgā

: an acute infectious disease caused by a flavivirus (serotypes of Orthoflavivirus denguei), transmitted by aedes mosquitoes, and typically characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash but may progress into a more serious illness marked by hemorrhagic symptoms

called also breakbone fever, dengue fever

Examples of dengue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Conditions are ripe for waterborne infections like dengue, yellow fever and malaria to spread. — ABC News, 30 June 2026

Some mosquitoes can spread dengue, Zika, yellow fever, chikungunya, West Nile virus and other illnesses. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026

There are more than 3,500 different species of mosquito, but just Aedes aegypti transmits most cases of dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya. — Bay City News, Mercury News, 4 June 2026

Jamestown Canyon virus accumulates genetic changes 10 to 100 times more slowly per calendar year than dengue, Rift Valley fever or chikungunya. — John Drake, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dengue

noun

den·​gue ˈdeŋ-gē  -ˌgā 

: an acute infectious disease that is caused by a flavivirus (serotypes of Orthoflavivirus denguei) transmitted by mosquitos of the genus Aedes and that is typically characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash but may progress to the more severe dengue hemorrhagic fever

called also breakbone fever, dandy fever, dengue fever