chikungunya

noun

chik·​un·​gun·​ya ˌchi-kən-ˈgu̇n-yə 

ˌchi-ku̇ŋ-

: a febrile disease that resembles dengue, occurs especially in parts of Africa, India, and southeastern Asia, and is caused by a togavirus (Alphavirus chikungunya) transmitted especially by aedes mosquitoes

Chikungunya is rarely fatal but can cause severe fevers, headaches, fatigue, nausea, and muscle and joint pains.

—Martin Enserink

Examples of chikungunya in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This month, the agency published Level 2 alerts concerning the risk of contracting the chikungunya virus in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Cuba, and China. —Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 16 Dec. 2025

Reports from the World Health Organization (WHO) indicate that there have been over 445,000 suspected and confirmed chikungunya cases and 155 deaths from 40 countries between January and September 2025. —Amanda Greenwood, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2025

Between January and late September, 34 confirmed cases of chikungunya were reported in Cuba, and public health interventions have been implemented to contain the outbreak. —Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 8 Dec. 2025

However, some species, including Aedes aegypti, can carry and transmit diseases, such as dengue, chikungunya, West Nile virus, yellow fever and Zika virus. —Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 29 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Kimakonde (Bantu language of the Makonde), alleged to mean "that which bends up"

First Known Use

1954, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

chikungunya

noun

chik·​un·​gun·​ya ˌchik-ən-ˈgu̇n-yə 

ˌchik-u̇ŋ-

: a febrile disease that resembles dengue, occurs especially in parts of Africa, India, and southeastern Asia, and is caused by a togavirus (Alphavirus chikungunya) transmitted by mosquitoes especially of the genus Aedes

called also chikungunya fever