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sleeping sickness
noun
1
: a serious disease that is prevalent in much of tropical Africa, is marked by fever, headache, lethargy, confusion, and sleep disturbances, and is caused by either of two trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense) transmitted by tsetse flies
2
: any of various viral encephalitides or encephalomyelitides of which lethargy or somnolence is a prominent feature
Examples of sleeping sickness in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
But the students’ professor, the late Raymond Hamers, happened to be studying sleeping sickness in large animals.
—Christina Szalinski, Discover Magazine, 22 Feb. 2023
In the parts of sub-Saharan Africa most prone to sleeping sickness, this genetic trade-off could be worthwhile.
—Jerome Groopman, The New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2022
The team hopes the new device will become standard lab equipment soon, allowing scientists to listen to the movement of bacteria such as E. coli as well as microorganisms that cause diseases like sleeping sickness [The Daily Beast].
—Smriti Rao, Discover Magazine, 2 Mar. 2010
Tsetse flies are biting insects that can spread a parasitic organism that causes human sleeping sickness.
—Christina Szalinski, Discover Magazine, 24 June 2021
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Word History
First Known Use
1875, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Time Traveler
The first known use of sleeping sickness was
in 1875
Dictionary Entries Near sleeping sickness
Cite this Entry
“Sleeping sickness.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sleeping%20sickness. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
sleeping sickness
noun1
: a serious disease found in tropical Africa that is characterized by fever, headache, sleepiness, and confusion and is passed on by tsetse flies
2
: any of various virus diseases in which sleepiness is a major symptom
Medical Definition
sleeping sickness
noun1
: a serious disease that is prevalent in much of tropical Africa, is marked by fever, headache, protracted lethargy, confusion, sleep disturbances, tremors, and loss of weight, is caused by either of two trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and T. b. rhodesiense), and is transmitted by tsetse flies
called also African sleeping sickness
2
: any of various viral encephalitides or encephalomyelitides of which lethargy or somnolence is a prominent feature
especially
: equine encephalomyelitis
More from Merriam-Webster on sleeping sickness
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sleeping sickness
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