malaria

The word “malaria” means a serious disease spread by mosquitoes, caused by a parasite that infects the blood and produces recurring fever. In plain terms, a mosquito-borne disease that causes fever and chills, common in tropical regions.

“Malaria” is pronounced muh-LEH-uh-ree-uh (/məˈlɛəɹi.ə/ in IPA).

Here is “malaria” used in a sentence: “He contracted malaria while working in a rural clinic in West Africa.”

“Malaria” is a noun.

The word “malaria” comes from Italian. From Italian mal'aria, "bad air," from an old belief that the disease came from foul air near marshes — long before mosquitoes were identified as the real cause.

“Malaria” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.

Malaria is caused by a parasite spread through mosquito bites that infects the blood and causes recurring fever, while dengue fever is caused by a virus, also spread by mosquitoes, but with a different set of symptoms and disease course. Both are mosquito-borne illnesses but result from entirely different pathogens.

Malaria spreads when a mosquito carrying the parasite bites a person, allowing the parasite to enter the bloodstream and cause infection. This is why malaria is described as a disease spread by mosquitoes rather than one passed directly between people.

Malaria causes recurring fever because the parasite that causes it repeatedly infects and multiplies within the blood, producing cyclical bouts of illness rather than a single continuous fever. This pattern of recurring fever is a hallmark symptom of the disease.