typhus
Any of several similar diseases, characterised by high recurrent fever, caused by Rickettsia bacteria. Not to be confused with typhoid fever.
Synonyms
- camp fever
- hospital fever
- jail fever
- prison fever
- ship fever
Related words
- antityphus
- pneumotyphus
- typhic
- typhization
- typhogenic
- typhoid
- abdominal typhus
- bush typhus
- chigger-borne typhus
- endemic typhus
- epidemic typhus
- flea-borne typhus
Word history
From Ancient Greek "τῦφος" (fever, stupor).
Where this comes from
This definition is adapted from “typhus” on Wiktionary, by its contributors, published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.