Definition

Noun: * Dengue fever: A painful, mosquito-borne viral disease of tropical and subtropical regions. The name "breakbone fever" vividly describes the severe muscle and joint pain that is a hallmark symptom of the illness.

Usage

• The term is used as a common, descriptive name for the medical condition known as dengue fever, emphasizing its most characteristic and debilitating symptom.
• It functions as a countable noun (e.g., a case of breakbone fever).

Examples

• After returning from his trip, he was diagnosed with breakbone fever.
• The local clinic has seen a surge in breakbone fever cases following the rainy season.
• Symptoms of breakbone fever can include high fever, severe headache, and the intense pain that gives the disease its name.

Advanced Usage

• The term is often used in historical contexts or in layperson's descriptions to convey the severity of the pain associated with dengue, which can feel like bones are breaking.

Variants and Related Words

• Dengue fever (n): The standard medical term for the disease.
• Dengue (n): A common shortened form of "dengue fever."
• Dengue hemorrhagic fever (n): A severe, potentially lethal complication of dengue infection.

Synonyms

• Dengue
• Dengue fever

Related Phrases

• To contract breakbone fever: To become infected with the disease.
  • Travelers are advised to use mosquito nets to avoid contracting breakbone fever.

Noun

1. an infectious disease of the tropics transmitted by mosquitoes and characterized by rash and aching head and joints