Ague

Pronunciation

• enPR: āʹgyoÍžo, IPA: /ˈeɪ.É¡ju/

Origin

Middle English agu, ague, from Old French and Middle French (fievre) aguë, “acute (fever)” (Modern French fièvre aigüe), from Late Latin (febris) acuta ("acute fever"), from acūtus ("sharp, acute") + febris ("fever").

Cognate to acute.

Full definition of ague

Noun

1. (obsolete) An acute fever.
• Brenning agues. —P. Plowman.
2. (pathology) An intermittent fever, attended by alternate cold and hot fits.
3. The cold fit or rigor of the intermittent fever; as, fever and ague.
4. A chill, or state of shaking, as with cold.
5. (obsolete) Malaria.

Usage notes

The pronunciation IPA: /ˈeɪɡ/ is a common mispronunciation by people to whom this is a book word (a word one learns by reading and has never heard spoken). IPA: /ˈeɪ.ɡju/ is the correct pronunciation.

Related terms

• acute
• ague cake
• ague tree

Verb

1. (transitive) To strike with an ague, or with a cold fit.

Anagrams

• gaue