kala-azar

[ kah-lah-ah-zahr, kah-luh-az-er ]

noun

, Pathology.

1. a chronic, usually fatal disease occurring in tropical areas of Asia and the Western Hemisphere, characterized by irregular fever, enlargement of the spleen, anemia, and emaciation, caused by the protozoan Leishmania donovani.

kala-azar

/ ˌkɑːləəˈzɑː /

noun

1. a tropical infectious disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania donovani in the liver, spleen, etc, characterized by fever and weight loss; visceral leishmaniasis

Word History and Origins

Origin of kala-azar¹

1880–85; < Hindi, equivalent to kālā black + Persian āzār disease

Word History and Origins

Origin of kala-azar¹

from Assamese kālā black + āzār disease