Ague
/ˈeɪ.ɡjuː/noun
A feverish illness marked by chills and shivering, especially one associated with malaria.
Did you know?In older English, ague was often used for intermittent fevers like malaria, so the word carried a near-supernatural sense of a recurring, unseen assault on the body.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂eḱ-
“to be sharp, pointed”
Ancient Greek
Greek
ákhos / akḗ
“pain, distress / sharpness”
Latin
Latin
acūtus
“sharp, pointed; acute”
Old French
Old French
ague
“sharp; severe”
Middle English
English
ague
“a fever or feverish chill, especially intermittent fever”
Modern English
English
ague
“a feverish illness with chills and shivering”