undulant fever

noun

: a persistent human brucellosis marked especially by remittent fever, weakness, headache, chills, and weight loss and contracted by contact with infected domestic animals or consumption of their products

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web About one-third of 119 hogs trapped at Congaree National Park from 2006-2010 carried pseudorabies and brucellosis, the latter of which can be transmitted to humans and cause what’s known as undulant fever.

Sammy Fretwell, charlotteobserver, 23 Dec. 2017

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

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of undulant fever was in 1896

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Undulant fever.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/undulant%20fever. Accessed 26 Nov. 2022.

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Kids Definition

undulant fever

noun

: a human disease that is caused by a bacterium and is marked by weakness, chills, weight loss, and a fever that comes and goes and is passed on by contact with infected domestic animals