English Explanatory Dictionary

malaria

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A disease spread by mosquito, in which a protozoan, Plasmodium, multiplies in blood every few days.
  2. Supposed poisonous air arising from marshy districts, once thought to cause fever.

Pronunciation

/məˈlɛəɹi.ə/ en-us-malaria.ogg LL-Q1860 (eng)-Microchip08-malaria.wav

Word forms

malaria malarias

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian malaria, formed from mal- (“bad”) and aria (“air”). Introduced into English by the Scottish geologist John MacCulloch (1773–1835). Displaced native Old English unlyft (literally “bad air”).

Synonyms

ague paludism miasma

Derived words

airport malaria antimalaria antimalarial falciparum malaria knowlesi malaria malarial malariametric malaria mosquito malaria net malarigenous malarin malarioid malariologist malariology malarious nonmalaria vivax malaria
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