malaria

noun ma·lar·ia \mə-ˈler-ē-ə\

medical : a serious disease that causes chills and fever and that is passed from one person to another by the bite of mosquitoes

Full Definition of MALARIA

archaic : air infected with a noxious substance capable of causing disease; especially : miasma

a : a human disease that is caused by sporozoan parasites (genus Plasmodium) in the red blood cells, is transmitted by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever

b : any of various diseases of birds and mammals caused by blood protozoans

— ma·lar·i·al \-əl\ adjective

— ma·lar·i·ous \-əs\ adjective

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See malaria defined for kids

Origin of MALARIA

Italian, from mala aria bad air

First Known Use: 1740

Rhymes with MALARIA

Bavaria, Bulgaria, hysteria, Kaffraria, planaria, Samaria

MALARIA Defined for Kids

malaria

noun ma·lar·ia \mə-ˈler-ē-ə\

Definition of MALARIA for Kids

: a serious disease with chills and fever that is spread by the bite of a mosquito

Medical Dictionary

malaria

noun ma·lar·ia \mə-ˈler-ē-ə\

Medical Definition of MALARIA

: an acute or chronic disease caused by the presence of sporozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium in the red blood cells, transmitted from an infected to an uninfected individual by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever that coincide with mass destruction of blood cells and the release of toxic substances by the parasite at the end of each reproductive cycle <malaria remains the greatest single cause of debilitation and death throughout the world—Journal of the American Medical Association>—see falciparum malaria, vivax malaria

: any of various diseases of birds and mammals that are more or less similar to malaria of human beings and are caused by blood protozoans