fever
/ˈfivɚ/
Word Rarity
Uncommon
Frequency: 4.22 in modern English
11
Scrabble Score
5
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A higher than normal body temperature of a person (or, generally, a mammal), usually caused by disease.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
Sexual attraction towards a specific group of people.
Countable; Derogatory; Slang; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "There has been a rise in my fever. I think I've the flu."
- "Proper nutrition – and even more important, proper hydration – is crucial in preventing and recovering from both fevers and colds. […] As Abramson explained, when we are sick, whether we have a fever or not, our metabolic rates skyrocket, and our bodies need more calories to support that high metabolic rate."
- "scarlet fever"
- "an envious fever"
- "There is little doubt that while war fever has not gripped Taipei, its economic foundations are being shaken. The stock market rose yesterday, but only because the Government has pumped $1.5 billion (£1 billion) into it after $370 million was drained from banks, and stocks were sold by investors who are worried by the Chinese manoeuvres."
- "On the way back to the mainland the boat passed over a fever of stingrays, and the sight of them through the glass was enough to colour everything else, and outstrip it."
Etymology
From Middle English fever, fevere, from Old English fefer, fefor (“fever”) and Old French fievre (“fever”), from Latin febris (“a fever”), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰegʷʰ- (“to burn”). Displaced native Old English hriþ (“fever”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Fiewer, German Fieber, Danish feber, Swedish feber.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *dʰegʷʰ-, fever, fefer, fievre, febris
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈfivɚ/
- British English: /ˈfiːvə/
Usage
Inflected Forms
Derived Forms
Phrases
7-day fever
African swine fever virus
Arab fever
baby fever
Bieber fever
Botany Bay fever
bovine ephemeral fever
bovine infectious petechial fever
Frequently Paired Words
feed a cold, starve a fever
fever ague
fever and ague
fever blister
fever bush
fever grass
fever lent
fever of unknown origin