fever

noun

fe·ver | \ ˈfē-vər

Definition of fever

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a rise of body temperature above the normal

b : any of various diseases of which fever is a prominent symptom

2a : a state of heightened or intense emotion or activity

b : a contagious usually transient enthusiasm : craze

fever

verb

fevered; fevering\ ˈfē-vriŋ

, ˈfe-vər-iŋ \

Definition of fever (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to throw into a fever : agitate

intransitive verb

: to contract or be in a fever : become feverish

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about fever

Keep scrolling for more

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: Noun

While most people recover without treatment after four to seven days, the bacterial infection can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. — Arman Azad, CNN, "Hundreds more reported ill in salmonella outbreaks tied to backyard poultry," 13 June 2019 Three people who attended to the patient, apart form a fellow student, have complained of fever and sore throat, the symptoms of Nipah. — Nupur Anand, Quartz India, "A southern Indian state is in the grip of the deadly Nipah virus again," 5 June 2019 Typhus can be spread to humans through flea bites or contact with the feces of infected fleas; its symptoms include a rash, fever and fatigue. — latimes.com, "Filth from homeless camps is luring rats to L.A. City Hall, report says," 3 June 2019 On Christmas Eve 2018, Felipe Gomez Alonzo, an 8-year-old indigenous Guatemalan, suffered a fever and died in U.S. custody at a New Mexico hospital. — Lauren Bohn, Marie Claire, "Who Killed Claudia Gomez?," 2 May 2019 For weeks, Albert's health had been going downhill, devolving into fever and delirium. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "How Did Queen Victoria's Husband Prince Albert Die?," 4 Mar. 2019 Salmonellosis, the infection from salmonella bacteria, causes diarrhea, fever and cramps. — Josh Beckerman, WSJ, "Conagra Recalls Certain Duncan Hines Cake Mixes," 5 Nov. 2018 Salmonella symptoms—which often appear 12 to 72 hours after exposure—include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps. — Sarah Gray, Fortune, "Kellogg's Honey Smacks Cereal Linked to 100 Salmonella Infections, CDC Warns," 13 July 2018 That first herpes outbreak may also cause flu-like symptoms such as fever, body aches, swollen lymph nodes, and headaches, the CDC says, all of which are a sign that your immune system is putting up a valiant fight against the virus. — Sophie Saint Thomas, SELF, "Here’s Why Doctors Don’t Usually Test for Herpes," 10 May 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Proponents also argue that there is little evidence that fever itself, even a high fever, is harmful. — Richard Klasco, New York Times, "If Fever Helps Fight Infection, Should I Avoid Fever-Reducing Drugs?," 11 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fever.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about fever

Dictionary Entries near fever

Statistics for fever

Last Updated

17 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for fever

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

See more words from the same century

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for fever

fever

noun

English Language Learners Definition of fever

: a body temperature that is higher than normal

: a disease that causes an increase in body temperature

: a state of excited emotion or activity

See the full definition for fever in the English Language Learners Dictionary

fever

noun

fe·ver | \ ˈfē-vər

Kids Definition of fever

1 : a body temperature that is higher than normal

2 : a disease involving fever

fever

noun

fe·ver | \ ˈfē-vər

Medical Definition of fever

(Entry 1 of 2)

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