noun
dengue
DEHNG-gee
noun
1
A tropical viral illness spread by mosquitoes, causing high fever, rash, and severe joint pain.
"Health officials warned travelers about a dengue outbreak in the region."
"She was hospitalized with dengue after a trip to Southeast Asia."
How to Use Dengue
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA serious mosquito-borne tropical disease, sometimes called "breakbone fever" because of the severe joint and muscle pain it causes.
Common pairings
dengue fever
dengue outbreak
contract dengue
Word Forms
dengues plural
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Etymology
Entered English via Spanish dengue in the 1800s, tracing back to a Swahili term for a sudden cramp-like seizure.