dengue

noun

den·​gue ˈdeŋ-gē 

-ˌgā

: an acute infectious disease caused by a flavivirus (serotypes of Orthoflavivirus denguei), transmitted by aedes mosquitoes, and typically characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash but may progress into a more serious illness marked by hemorrhagic symptoms

called also breakbone fever, dengue fever

Examples of dengue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There are four types of dengue virus, simply known as 1, 2, 3 and 4. — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026

Is there a Kalshi market for wagers on when dengue will hit SoCal? — Meghana Keshavan, STAT, 2 Oct. 2026

While dengue may be the highest priority pathogen for epidemiologists to fight, suppressing mosquito populations will inevitably decrease diseases all around. — New Atlas, 1 Oct. 2026

Because dengue can resemble a flu-like illness, patients may never suspect the source of their infection. — Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

American Spanish

First Known Use

1828, in the meaning defined above

Medical Definition

dengue

noun

den·​gue ˈdeŋ-gē  -ˌgā 

: an acute infectious disease that is caused by a flavivirus (serotypes of Orthoflavivirus denguei) transmitted by mosquitos of the genus Aedes and that is typically characterized by headache, severe joint pain, and a rash but may progress to the more severe dengue hemorrhagic fever

called also breakbone fever, dandy fever, dengue fever