hyperthermia
/ˌhaɪpə(ɹ)ˈθɜː(ɹ)miə/
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: 2.34 in modern English
25
Scrabble Score
12
Letters
4
Syllables
9
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
The condition of having an abnormally high body temperature caused by a failure of the heat-regulating mechanisms of the body to deal with the heat coming from the environment.
Countable; Uncountable
noun
The therapeutic application of heat to a patient, especially as treatment to cancer.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "Autopsy results revealed that Braydon was generally malnourished and thin. His cause of death was hyperthermia due to the extreme heat, which would have “caused extreme discomfort and difficulty breathing as he died.”"
- "Hyperthermia, that's just a word. The reality is different. You can't breathe. Sweating doesn't work. You're being roasted, like meat in an oven, and you can feel that."
- "On Friday, a hospital in Marseille said an 18-month-old child had died in emergency care earlier in the week after he was found in a car in a state of hyperthermia."
Etymology
From New Latin, from Ancient Greek ὑπέρ (hupér, “over”) + θέρμη (thérmē, “heat”) + -ία (-ía). By surface analysis, hyper- + -therm + -ia.