dengue

noun

den·​gue ˈdeŋ-gē How to pronounce dengue (audio)
-ˌgā
: an acute infectious disease caused by a flavivirus (species Dengue virus of the genus Flavivirus), transmitted by aedes mosquitoes, and characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash

called also breakbone fever, dengue fever

Examples of dengue in a Sentence

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.
Parents desperately tried to seek help as their children became infected with dysentery, dengue fever and malaria. Sophia Saifi, CNN Money, 18 July 2025 Where is Chikungunya Transmitted? Chikungunya is primarily contracted in tropical and subtropical regions where the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes—also known for spreading dengue and Zika viruses—are commonly found. Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 May 2025 Mosquitoes are a constant threat, especially for families sleeping outside without mosquito nets or shelter from heavy rains, raising fears of dengue fever and malaria outbreaks. Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 11 Apr. 2025 For example, the Center for Disease Control issued an alert for an outbreak of dengue fever in Brazil, Fiji, Mexico, and other countries. Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for dengue

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dengue was in 1828

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Dengue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dengue. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Medical Definition

dengue

noun
den·​gue ˈdeŋ-gē How to pronounce dengue (audio) -ˌgā How to pronounce dengue (audio)
: an acute infectious disease that is characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash and that is caused by a single-stranded RNA virus of the genus Flavivirus (species Dengue virus) transmitted by mosquitoes of the genus Aedes

called also breakbone fever, dandy fever, dengue fever

More from Merriam-Webster on dengue

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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