Learn the meaning of febrile, its pronunciation, medical and general usage, examples, synonyms, and FAQs in this easy Word of the Day guide.
Word of the Day: Febrile
📖 Meaning
Febrile describes a condition related to fever or having an abnormally high body temperature. It can also mean being agitated, nervous, or intensely excited, especially in a mental or emotional sense.
🔊 Pronunciation
/ˈfeb.raɪl/ or /ˈfiː.braɪl/
(Both pronunciations are correct and widely used.)
🧠 Simple Definition
- Medical sense: Having a fever
- General sense: Marked by nervous excitement or restlessness
🩺 Usage in Medicine
In medical contexts, febrile is commonly used to describe patients or conditions involving fever.
Examples:
- The child was admitted in a febrile state.
- Febrile illness is often a sign of infection.
- Doctors monitored the patient during the febrile phase.
A body temperature above 38°C (100.4°F) is typically considered febrile.
🧩 Usage in Everyday Language
Outside medicine, febrile can describe intense emotions, pressure, or excitement.
Examples:
- The newsroom had a febrile atmosphere before the election results.
- Social media was febrile with speculation and rumors.
🧬 Word Origin (Etymology)
- From Latin febrilis, meaning feverish
- Derived from febris = fever
The word has been used in English since the early 17th century, mainly in medical writing.
📚 Grammar Notes
- Part of speech: Adjective
- Comparative: more febrile
- Superlative: most febrile
🔁 Synonyms
| Medical Context | Emotional Context |
|---|---|
| Feverish | Agitated |
| Pyretic | Nervous |
| Ill | Frenzied |
| Infected | Overheated (figurative) |
❌ Antonyms
- Afebrile
- Calm
- Composed
- Normal
📝 Example Sentences
- The patient remained febrile throughout the night.
- A febrile reaction after vaccination is usually temporary.
- Markets turned febrile amid fears of inflation.
🌍 Variants in Other Languages
- Hindi: ज्वरयुक्त (Jvar-yukt)
- Odia: ଜ୍ୱରଜନିତ
- French: fébrile
- Spanish: febril
🎯 Fun Fact
The opposite of febrile—afebrile—is often used by doctors to note that a patient does not have a fever, even when recovering from illness.
💡 Quick Tip
If you see febrile in news, science, or health articles, check the context:
- Health article? → It means fever-related
- Politics or media? → It usually means tense or overheated with emotion
Word Power Boost:
Remember febrile = fever (both start with “feb”).