jungle fever

[ juhng-guhl fee-ver ]

noun

1. Pathology. a severe variety of malarial fever occurring in the East Indies and the tropics.
2. Slang: Sometimes Offensive. a person’s preference for a sexual or romantic relationship that is interracial, especially the preference of a white person for a Black partner.

jungle fever

noun

1. a serious malarial fever occurring in the East Indies

Word History and Origins

Origin of jungle fever¹

First recorded in 1795–1805, and in 1960–65 jungle fever fordef 2