remittent

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /rɪˈmɪtənt/ UK /rɪˈmɪtənt/ See IPA manual

Freq #449249

Meanings

1

adj
medicine: decreasing in severity at intervals without disappearing completely

The physician recorded a remittent fever that eased each morning but never fully subsided.
2

adj
alternately becoming weaker and stronger in intensity or frequency

The patient received only remittent attention as the household grew distracted.
3

noun
medicine, dated: a fever or disease whose symptoms periodically abate without vanishing

The expedition doctor diagnosed the illness as a tropical remittent.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · medicine: decreasing in... fluctuating relapsing

2 adj · alternately becoming weaker... variableintermittently easing

3 noun · medicine, dated: a fever or... remittent fever

Opposites

constant unremitting continuous

Word family

Derived forms unremittent

Related forms remit remission intermittent relapse

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

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

Adjective + noun

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin remittent-, the stem of remittens, present participle of remittere ('send back, relax, abate'), the source of remit and remission. Medical use distinguishes remittent symptoms, which lessen but do not fully cease, from intermittent symptoms, which disappear between episodes.

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# remittent

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj, noun
**IPA (US):** /rɪˈmɪtənt/
**IPA (UK):** /rɪˈmɪtənt/
**Frequency rank:** 449249

## Meanings
1. medicine: decreasing in severity at intervals without disappearing completely
2. alternately becoming weaker and stronger in intensity or frequency
3. medicine, dated: a fever or disease whose symptoms periodically abate without vanishing

## Examples
- The physician recorded a remittent fever that eased each morning but never fully subsided.
- The patient received only remittent attention as the household grew distracted.
- The expedition doctor diagnosed the illness as a tropical remittent.

## Synonyms
- fluctuating
- variable
- relapsing

## Antonyms
- constant
- unremitting
- continuous

## Derived Forms
- unremittent

## Related Forms
- remit
- remission
- intermittent
- relapse

## Etymology
Borrowed from Latin remittent-, the stem of remittens, present participle of remittere ('send back, relax, abate'), the source of remit and remission. Medical use distinguishes remittent symptoms, which lessen but do not fully cease, from intermittent symptoms, which disappear between episodes.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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