fever
noun
What fever means
A body temperature that is higher than normal, usually because of an infection.
She has a high fever and needs rest.
His fever went down after two days.
Test yourself
Five questions about fever
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Question 1 of 5Meaning
What does fever mean?
When you have a fever, your body is hotter than it should be, for example 39°C, often because your body is fighting an illness.
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Question 2 of 5Situation
Your forehead feels very hot, you are shivering, and the thermometer shows 39°C. You have a…
A body temperature of 39°C is higher than normal, so you have a fever. A rash is on the skin, a migraine is a bad headache, and a cramp is in a muscle.
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Question 3 of 5Gap
The baby had a high ___ all night, so we called the doctor in the morning.
A sick baby whose body temperature goes far above normal has a high fever. A rash, a bruise or sunburn can be bad, but we never describe them as high.
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Question 4 of 5Similar word
Which phrase is closest in meaning to fever?
A fever is a body temperature above normal, so it means the same as a high temperature. In British English people often say they have a temperature.
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Question 5 of 5Correct use
Which sentence uses fever correctly?
You have a fever; you do not make one. Fever already means a high temperature, so a temperature of fever repeats itself, and was fever needs the adjective feverish.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer, Enter goes on.
Fever in a sentence
5 more examples of fever in everyday situations.
- A message
Mia has a fever, so she’s staying home from school today.
- At the pharmacy
What can I give a five-year-old to bring down a fever?
- On the phone
He’s been running a fever since last night and won’t eat.
- At the doctor
Call us again if the fever lasts more than three days.
- Adjective form
I felt hot and feverish all afternoon, so I went to bed early.
How to use fever
Normal body temperature is about 37°C (98.6°F). Over 38°C is usually a fever. You have a fever, or you run a fever (US).
Fever also means very strong excitement: Saturday night fever, football fever.
Forms
- feversplural
- feverishadjective
Patterns
- have / run a fever
- a fever of + temperature
- bring down a fever
- a high / low-grade fever
Common mistakes with fever
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NotI have a temperature of fever.
SayI have a fever. / I have a high temperature.
Fever already means a high temperature, so say I have a fever or I have a high temperature, not both.
Fever or temperature or flu?
- fever or temperature
- British speakers often say “I’ve got a temperature” to mean a fever. In American English “I have a fever” is more common, and temperature is the number on the thermometer.
- fever or flu
- A fever is a symptom, a body temperature that is too high; the flu is an illness that often causes a fever together with aches and a cough.
Fever is a B2 word. Is that your level? Take the level test or count the words you know.
Fever word family and collocations
The words that go with fever, so you can use it in a whole phrase.
Common collocations
- a high fever
- run a fever
- a fever of
- fever dreams
- bring down a fever
Word family
- fever (noun)
- feverish (adjective)
Similar words
- high temperature
Questions about fever
Is fever countable?
In everyday speech you usually say a fever: “He has a fever.” In medical writing it is often uncountable, as in “Symptoms include fever and a cough.”
What does run a fever mean?
To run a fever means to have a body temperature that is higher than normal. It is common in American English: “The baby is running a fever.”
What temperature is a fever?
For adults, doctors usually call 38 degrees Celsius, or 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit, or higher a fever. Ask a doctor for advice about babies and young children.
The word before
Do you still remember buffering?
One question about the word from 22 October. Remembering a word a day later helps it stay.
One question
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What does buffering mean?
Buffering is when a video or song keeps pausing because your phone or computer has to wait for the next part to arrive from the internet.
Keys 1 to 4 pick an answer.
More health words
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C1
therapy
Treatment for a physical or mental problem, often involving regular sessions with a trained professional. -
C1
chronic
Lasting for a long time or happening again and again, usually describing an illness. -
B2
treatment
Medical care given to a person to cure an illness or reduce pain. -
C1
fracture
A break or crack in a bone. -
C1
shiver
To shake slightly because you are cold, ill or afraid. -
B2
prescription
A doctor’s written instruction that lets you get a particular medicine from a pharmacy.