: any of various bacterial diseases caused by rickettsias: such as
a
: a severe human febrile disease that is caused by one (Rickettsia prowazekii) transmitted especially by body lice and is marked by high fever, stupor alternating with delirium, intense headache, and a dark red rash
b
c
Examples of typhus in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
These diseases are trench fever, epidemic typhus, and louse-borne relapsing fever.54
Summary
Body lice are tiny insects that live in bedding and clothes and feed on human blood.
—
Josephine Hessert, Verywell Health, 2 Dec. 2024
Fleas can also transmit diseases to dogs, such as typhus and tapeworms.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2022
Margot weighed only 76 pounds and was nearly dead from starvation and typhus; the schoolteacher sent her to summer camp and private schools and, Ms. Heuman said, nurtured her like a mother.
—New York Times, 27 May 2022
And during the 1940s, it was seen as a panacea for America’s malaria problem – as well as a way to prevent body lice, polio, typhus and a bunch of other ailments.
—Chris Cillizza, CNN, 24 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for typhus
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.
Josephine Hessert, Verywell Health, 2 Dec. 2024
Fleas can also transmit diseases to dogs, such as typhus and tapeworms.
—Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 18 Oct. 2022
Margot weighed only 76 pounds and was nearly dead from starvation and typhus; the schoolteacher sent her to summer camp and private schools and, Ms. Heuman said, nurtured her like a mother.
—New York Times, 27 May 2022
And during the 1940s, it was seen as a panacea for America’s malaria problem – as well as a way to prevent body lice, polio, typhus and a bunch of other ailments.
—Chris Cillizza, CNN, 24 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for typhus
Cite this Entry
“Typhus.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/typhus. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
typhus
noun
ty·phus
ˈtī-fəs 
: any of various diseases caused by bacteria that are rickettsias: as
a
: a severe disease that is marked by high fever, muscle and joint pain, cough, intense headache, and a red rash, and that is passed on especially by body lice
b
: a mild disease that is marked by fever, headache, and red rash and is passed on by fleas
Medical Definition
typhus
noun
ty·phus
ˈtī-fəs
: any of various bacterial diseases caused by rickettsial bacteria: as
a
: a severe human febrile disease that is caused by one (Rickettsia prowazekii) transmitted especially by body lice and is marked by high fever, stupor alternating with delirium, intense headache, and a dark red rash
called also louse-borne typhus
b
c
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share