tertian
Word Rarity
Very rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.34 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
7
Letters
2
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
adj
Characterised by paroxysms recurring every other day (that is, every third day by inclusive reckoning).
adj
Pertaining to the mean-tone temperament, in which major thirds are perfectly in tune.
noun
A tertian fever.
noun
Example Sentences
- "And although we feele it not, it is not to bee doubted, if a continuall ague may in the end suppresse our mind, a tertian will also (according to her measure and proportion) breed some alteration in it."
- "He died of the slow fever call'd the tertian, / And left his widow to her own aversion."
Etymology
From Middle English tertiān, terciān, terciāne (adjective and noun), originally often as part of the collocation fever cum terciane, after Latin febris cum tertiānā. Compare the "third" essence of tertiary. By surface analysis, terti- + -an.