swamp fever


nounPathology, Veterinary Pathology.
  1. Also called infectious anemia of horses. an equine viral disease characterized by weakness and recurring fever, transmitted by contaminated food and water.

Origin of swamp fever

1
An Americanism dating back to 1840–50

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use swamp fever in a sentence

  • Three days later Sheldon caught one of the boys, helpless from swamp fever, and unable to fight or run away.

    Adventure | Jack London
  • There's one of them a-bed in that room there; he's caught swamp-fever, and it's gone up to the head.

    One Of Them | Charles James Lever
  • Our preparations were delayed by Aunt Judy falling sick of swamp fever.

    Strange True Stories of Louisiana | George Washington Cable
  • The endemic diseases of the islands are swamp-fever, diarrhœa, beri-beri, and typhoid.

    The Philippine Islands | Ramon Reyes Lala
  • Almost everybody leaves the place in summer, for mosquitoes hold sway, while sickness and swamp fever are prevalent.

    The Forged Note | Oscar Micheaux

British Dictionary definitions for swamp fever

swamp fever

noun
  1. Also called: equine infectious anaemia a viral disease of horses characterized by recurring fever, staggering gait, and general debility

  2. US another name for malaria

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012