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typhus

(tī′fəs)

noun

an acute infectious disease caused by various rickettsiae (esp. Rickettsia prowazekii) transmitted to people by the bite of fleas, lice, etc., and characterized by fever, headache, and an eruption of red spots on the skin: in full

Origin: ModL < Gr typhos, vapor, fever, stupor, akin to typhein, to smoke, be cloudy < IE base *dheu-: see dull

Related Forms:

typhous adjective

See typhus in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Any of several forms of infectious disease caused by rickettsia, especially those transmitted by fleas, lice, or mites, and characterized generally by severe headache, sustained high fever, depression, delirium, and the eruption of red rashes on the skin. Also called prison fever, ship fever, typhus fever.

Origin:

Origin: New Latin tȳphus

Origin: , from Greek tūphos, stupor arising from a fever, vapor

Origin: , from tūphein, to smoke

Related Forms: