tertian
Syllabification: (ter·tian)
Pronunciation: /ˈtərSHən/
Definition of tertian
adjective
- denoting a form of malaria causing a fever that recurs every second day:tertian fever
- The common benign tertian malaria (or tertian ague) is caused by infection with Plasmodium vivax or P. ovale, and malignant tertian malaria is caused by P. falciparum. Compare with quartan
Origin:
late Middle English (fever) terciane, from Latin (febris) tertiana, from tertius 'third' (the fever recurring every third day by inclusive reckoning)
