malaria

American  

[muh-lair-ee-uh] / məˈlɛər i ə /

noun

1. Pathology. any of a group of diseases, usually intermittent or remittent, characterized by attacks of chills, fever, and sweating: formerly supposed to be due to swamp exhalations but now known to be caused by a parasitic protozoan, which is transferred to the human bloodstream by a mosquito of the genus Anopheles and which occupies and destroys red blood cells.

2. Archaic. unwholesome or poisonous air.

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malaria British  

/ məˈlɛərɪə /

noun

1. an infectious disease characterized by recurring attacks of chills and fever, caused by the bite of an anopheles mosquito infected with any of four protozoans of the genus Plasmodium ( P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. malariae, or P. ovale )

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malaria Scientific  

/ mə-lâr′ē-ə /

1. An infectious disease of tropical areas caused by the parasitic infection of red blood cells by a protozoan of the genus Plasmodium, which is transmitted by the bite of an infected female mosquito. Malaria is characterized by recurrent episodes of chills, fever, sweating, and anemia and is endemic in Africa, Central America, and much of Southern Asia and northern South America.

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malaria Cultural  

1. An infectious disease caused by a parasite that is transmitted by the bite of an infected mosquito. Persons suffering from malaria experience periodic episodes of chills and fever.

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Usage

What is malaria? Malaria is the collective name of a potentially fatal group of diseases caused by parasitic organisms spread through bites of a particular mosquito. Symptoms of malaria include periods of fever, chills, and sweating followed by respiratory problems and organ failure and, finally, death. Malaria is preventable and, if it’s caught early, it is curable. Malaria is caused by a parasitic, microscopic organism known as a protozoan. At least four members of the genus Plasmodium are known to cause malaria in humans. These are P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale, and P. vivax. P.knowlesi may also cause malaria. These protozoa enter the bloodstream through a bite from several different species of female mosquitoes from the genus Anopheles. The protozoa are more likely to live inside a mosquito with a long life and are more likely to enter humans if the mosquito has a tendency to bite humans instead of animals. The majority of species of Anopheles mosquitoes that fit both categories are native to Africa. For this reason, over 90 percent of the world’s malaria cases occur in Africa. In 2018, there were 228 million cases of malaria, with 405 thousand deaths.

Other Word Forms

• malarial adjective
• malarian adjective
• malarious adjective
• nonmalarial adjective
• nonmalarian adjective
• nonmalarious adjective
• postmalarial adjective
• pseudomalaria noun
• unmalarial adjective

Etymology

Origin of malaria

1730–40; < Italian, contraction of mala aria bad air

Explanation

Malaria is an infectious disease that spreads through mosquitoes. If you're traveling in a warm-climate area in the tropics, you might be in danger of contracting malaria. Pack your Deep Woods OFF!. Malaria's symptoms include high fevers, chills, flu-like symptoms, and anemia. Malaria is found in warmer-climate places like the tropics and subtropics. When people travel on vacation to these places, they are in danger of contracting the disease. While Malaria is treatable, more than a million people die of the disease each year.

Example Sentences

Some also seemed frail and were suffering from malaria, breathing difficulties and exhaustion, the authorities said.

From BBC • Apr. 20, 2026

According to the World Health Organization, climate change -- through increased rainfall, temperatures and humidity -- can in some cases accelerate malaria transmission by enabling mosquitoes to breed faster.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Impact: This discovery could open the door to new malaria treatments and inspire advances in microscopic robot technology.

From Science Daily • Mar. 19, 2026

Malaria is rampant at the camps, and last year, the miner said, he came home to find he had malaria, dengue fever and kidney failure.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 25, 2026

He was still attempting to fend off the flu-like symptoms of malaria that had been trying to overpower him since the first two canoes were smashed.

From "Death on the River of Doubt" by Samantha Seiple