an acute infectious disease caused by a rickettsia (Rickettsia rickettsii), transmitted to human beings by certain ticks (esp. genus Dermacentor), and characterized by fever, muscular pains, and skin eruptions
Origin:
from being first discovered in the Rocky Mountains
See Rocky Mountain spotted fever in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
An acute infectious disease that is caused by a microorganism (Rickettsia rickettsii) transmitted by ticks, is characterized by muscular pains, high fever, and skin eruptions, and is endemic throughout North America.