fever

B2 Topic:The Human Body

US /ˈfivɚ/ UK /ˈfiːvə/ See IPA manual

Freq #2814

Meanings

1

noun
A body temperature that is higher than normal, usually caused by illness.

My fever has risen, so I think I've got the flu.
2

noun
A state of strong excitement or anxiety.

The whole country was in a fever of excitement before the final.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a body temperature that is... high temperaturetemperature

2 noun · a state of strong... excitement passion

Word family

Forms feveredfevers

Derived forms antifeverbrain-feverenfeverfever-barkfever-blisterfever-chartfever-coolingfever-flyfever-heatfever-hecticfever-lurdanfever-lurden

Related forms febrilefervent fervid fervorhyperthermia

Appears in

Phrases (7)

See all

malarial fever
fever associated with malaria

Adjective + noun
remittent fever
a fever that varies in intensity without returning fully to normal

Adjective + noun
typhoid fever
a serious bacterial infection commonly spread through contaminated food or water

Adjective + noun
typhus fever
a rickettsial infection associated with high fever and rash

Noun + noun
parrot fever
an infection acquired from infected birds that can cause pneumonia, also called psittacosis

Noun + noun
swamp fever
a traditional name for leptospirosis, an infection that can cause fever and jaundice

Noun + noun

Proverbs (1)

See all

Feed a cold, starve a fever

Simplified etymology

Fever entered English in Anglo-Saxon times as a borrowing from Latin febris. The Latin word may ultimately derive from a root meaning “to be restless.”

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.

*dʰegʷʰ- Proto-Indo-European fever Middle English fefer Old English fievre Old French febris Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

The Human Body

External links

# fever

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈfivɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈfiːvə/
**Frequency rank:** 2814

## Meanings
1. A body temperature that is higher than normal, usually caused by illness.
2. A state of strong excitement or anxiety.

## Examples
- My fever has risen, so I think I've got the flu.
- The whole country was in a fever of excitement before the final.

## Derived Forms
- antifever
- brain-fever
- enfever
- fever-bark
- fever-blister
- fever-chart
- fever-cooling
- fever-fly
- fever-heat
- fever-hectic
- fever-lurdan
- fever-lurden

## Related Forms
- febrile
- fervent
- fervid
- fervor
- hyperthermia

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *dʰegʷʰ-
- Root: fever
- Root: fefer
- Root: fievre
- Root: febris

## 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.

## AI Etymology
Fever comes 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. In current use, the main senses are “A body temperature that is higher than normal, usually caused by illness” and “A state of strong excitement or anxiety”.

## Topics
- The Human Body

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