blackwater fever

noun

: a febrile complication of repeated malarial attacks that is characterized especially by extensive kidney damage and urine discolored by heme from blood

Examples of blackwater fever in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web And while Europeans may have only counted their African conscripts and calculated their value as tools, one image, a handwritten ledger, lists causes of death—typhus, blackwater fever, mauled by a lion—along with their names. Heidi Waleson, WSJ, 10 Dec. 2018

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blackwater fever.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blackwater fever was in 1884

Dictionary Entries Near blackwater fever

Cite this Entry

“Blackwater fever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackwater%20fever. Accessed 11 Oct. 2024.

Medical Definition

blackwater fever

noun
: a rare febrile complication of repeated malarial attacks that is marked by destruction of blood cells with hemoglobinuria and extensive kidney damage

More from Merriam-Webster on blackwater fever

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!