febricula

[ fi-brik-yuh-luh ]

noun

1. a slight and short fever, especially when of obscure causation.

Word History and Origins

Origin of febricula¹

From Latin, dating back to 1740–50; febri-, -cule ¹

Example Sentences

There can be no doubt of the existence of such cases, although they are not common; and at times the paroxysm is so slight that were it not for the known exposure of the individual to the prevalent epidemic influence, in the absence of any other adequate cause, the case might readily be regarded as one of non-specific febricula.

From Project Gutenberg

Sir Richard Manningham9 also described typhoid fever under the title of "febricula, or little fever."

From Project Gutenberg

Severe cases of simple febricula with marked gastric disturbance may, as remarked by Jenner, closely simulate relapsing fever; and the same is true of attacks of acute gastro-hepatic catarrh, with severe headache, sharp fever, chol�mic eye, epigastric tenderness, and frequent vomiting.

From Project Gutenberg

"After being in such a situation many people find themselves affected by that febricula, which the English alone call a cold, and, perhaps, from that name, imagine they have caught the malady by going out of the room, when it was, in fact, by being in it."

From Project Gutenberg

Febricula, a "little fever" that lingered in some medical texts until 1947, was once thought to be caused by stale beer, foul odors and sewer gases.

From Time Magazine Archive