febrile

[ fee-bruhl, feb-ruhlor, especially British, fee-brahyl ]

adjective

1. pertaining to or marked by fever; feverish.

febrile

/ ˈfiːbraɪl; fɪˈbrɪlɪtɪ /

adjective

1. of or relating to fever; feverish

Derived Forms

• febrility, noun

Other Words From

• fe·bril·i·ty [fi-, bril, -i-tee], noun
• non·febrile adjective
• post·febrile adjective
• un·febrile adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of febrile¹

1645–55; < New Latin, Medieval Latin febrīlis. See fever, -ile

Word History and Origins

Origin of febrile¹

C17: from medical Latin febrīlis , from Latin febris fever

Example Sentences

In a febrile atmosphere where Van de Zandschulp's missed first serves were cheered, the 29-year-old Dutchman deserved great credit for staying focused and seeing out an important victory for his nation.

From BBC

Whitehall sources tell me this in part the fault of Downing Street which, they say, is increasingly gripped by caution after a febrile few weeks.

From BBC

British nationals in Lebanon have no guarantee they will be able to leave quickly if the "febrile and fragile" situation deteriorates, the foreign secretary has said.

From BBC

The NFT market rode atop a wave of febrile claims that it would remake the market for creative objects and bring riches to starving musicians and artists.

From Los Angeles Times

In parallel, Trump’s rhetoric and behavior on the stump have become more unhinged and febrile.

From Los Angeles Times

More About Febrile

What does febrile mean?

Febrile is a more formal way of saying feverish—having a fever.

A fever is an abnormally high body temperature, typically as the result of illness. In general, febrile can mean somehow related to or marked by fever. It is commonly used in formal medical contexts, but it can also be used metaphorically to describe situations marked by a state of anxious excitement.

Example: Nothing is worse than the febrile sweat that comes with the flu.

Where does febrile come from?

The first records of febrile come from the mid-1600s. It comes from the Latin febrīlis, from the Latin febris, “fever.” This root serves as the basis of many related words, including fever itself, febricity (“the state of being feverish”), febriferous (“producing fever”), febrifacient (“something that produces fever”), febricula (“a slight and short fever”), febrific (“marked by fever”), and febrifuge (“a medicine to reduce fever”).

Febrile is most often seen in medical situations involving fevers and their effects. Febrile illnesses are those that are usually accompanied by a fever. It is also used in the names of specific conditions like febrile convulsion (an effect of high fever in young children that involves involuntary shaking).

People sometimes use febrile to describe a situation or atmosphere with a lot of uncertainty, instability, or anxious excitement, as in the febrile period before the election. Similar things are implied by the term feverish and the phrase fever pitch (meaning “a high degree of excitement”). All of these terms reference the kind of delirious state that can accompany a high fever.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to febrile?

• febrility (noun)
• nonfebrile (adjective)
• postfebrile (adjective)
• prefebrile (adjective)
• unfebrile (adjective)

What are some synonyms for febrile?

• feverish
• fevered

What are some words that share a root or word element with febrile? 

 

• fever
• febricity
• febriferous
• febrifacient
• febricula
• febrific
• febrifuge

 

What are some words that often get used in discussing febrile?

 

• temperature
• illness
• patient
• convulsion
• seizure
• atmosphere 
• flushed
• inflamed
• delirious

How is febrile used in real life?

Febrile is most commonly used in a literal way to refer to an illness involving a fever. When it’s used metaphorically, it often implies that the situation is somehow negative.

Saw a 2 yo boy in the ED with 3 febrile seizures in the past 24 hours. Flu B+. Unimmunized.

The vaccine is better than the flu and it's not too late in the season. Please get vaccinated. #VaccinesWork

— Dan Freedman (@dfreedman7) December 22, 2019

In Feb I was flu tested during a febrile illness. I just got the almost $200 bill from the very same clinic I work in. My patients are low income. What an invaluable yet heartbreaking eye opener. This is healthcare in America. #MedTwitter #primarycare

— April Ehrlich, MD (@april_ehrlich) April 14, 2020

PM Boris Johnson faced anger in the House of Commons on Wednesday amid a febrile atmosphere in Parliament

Here's a recap of the day's raucous exchanges

[Tap to expand] https://t.co/Nva7rRVgZZ pic.twitter.com/GNOoRGScsz

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) September 26, 2019

 

 

Try using febrile!

Which of the following words is the closest synonym of febrile?

A. feverish
B. hot
C. flushed
D. calm