fever

1 of 2

noun

fe·​ver ˈfē-vər How to pronounce fever (audio)
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

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

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.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Call a doctor: If symptoms are severe – think high fever, bloody stool or dehydration – see a doctor. Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025 Beyond West Nile, there are a host of other diseases spread by the insect in Tennessee including: La Crosse encephalitis Eastern equine encephalitis Yellow fever Malaria Zika Dengue Chikungunya St. Louis encephalitis Japanese encephalitis What are the best mosquito repellents to use? Joyce Orlando, Nashville Tennessean, 25 Aug. 2025 Depending on the cause of your toothache, other symptoms may include bleeding gums, loose teeth, pain in other parts of your face, bad breath, and fever. Mark Gurarie, Health, 24 Aug. 2025 Despite being discharged, Marie woke up with a fever on Saturday morning, noticing that her finger was still swollen. Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025 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

1606, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

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

Cite this Entry

“Fever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fever. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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