To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of Rift Valley fever
: an acute, usually epizootic, mosquito-borne disease of domestic animals chiefly of eastern and southern Africa that is caused by a bunyavirus (species Rift Valley fever virus of the genus Phlebovirus), is marked especially by fever, abortion, and death of newborns, and is sometimes transmitted to humans usually in a milder form marked by flu-like symptoms
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for Rift Valley fever
Rift Valley fever
nounRift Val·ley fever | \ ˈrift-ˌval-ē- 
\
\Medical Definition of Rift Valley fever
: an acute usually epizootic mosquito-borne disease of domestic animals (as sheep and cattle) chiefly of eastern and southern Africa that is caused by a bunyavirus of the genus Phlebovirus (species Rift Valley fever virus), is marked especially by fever, abortion, death of newborns, diarrhea, and jaundice, and is sometimes transmitted to humans usually in a milder form marked by flu-like symptoms
Comments on Rift Valley fever
What made you want to look up Rift Valley fever? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Semantic Drift Quiz
- Which of the following was once a synonym for fun?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Word Games
- Semantic Drift Quiz
A challenging quiz of changing words.
Take the quiz - A Thanksgiving Word Quiz
We are thankful for obscure words.
Take the quiz - Spell It
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
Take the quiz - Dictionary Devil
The dictionary has been scrambled—can you put it back together?
Play the game
Share Rift Valley fever
Time Traveler for Rift Valley fever
The first known use of Rift Valley fever was circa 1931
See more words from the same year