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Webster 1913 Edition


Tertian

Ter′tian

,
Adj.
[L.
tertianus
, from
tertius
the third. See
Tierce
.]
(Med.)
Occurring every third day;
as, a
tertian
fever
.

Ter′tian

,
Noun.
[L.
tertiana
(sc.
febris
): cf. OF.
tertiane
.]
1.
(Med.)
A disease, especially an intermittent fever, which returns every third day, reckoning inclusively, or in which the intermission lasts one day.
2.
A liquid measure formerly used for wine, equal to seventy imperial, or eighty-four wine, gallons, being one third of a tun.

Webster 1828 Edition


Tertian

TER'TIAN

,
Adj.
[L. tertianus, from tertius, third.]
Occurring every other day; as a tertian fever.

TER'TIAN

,
Noun.
A disease or fever whose paroxysms return every other day; an intermittent occurring after intervals of about forty eight hours.
1.
A measure of 84 gallons, the third part of a tun.

Definition 2024


tertian

tertian

English

Adjective

tertian (not comparable)

  1. Of a fever, characterised by paroxysms every third day.
  2. (music) Pertaining to the mean-tone temperament, in which major thirds are perfectly in tune.

Noun

tertian (plural tertians)

  1. A tertian fever.
    • 1603, John Florio, translating Michel de Montaigne, Essayes, London: Edward Blount, OCLC 946730821, II.12:
      And although we feele it not, it is not to bee doubted, if a continuall ague may in the end suppresse our mind, a tertian will also (according to her measure and proportion) breed some alteration in it.
    • 1819, Lord Byron, Don Juan, Canto 1:
      He died of the slow fever call'd the tertian, / And left his widow to her own aversion.
  2. The puncheon, an old wine cask, three of which made a tun.

Anagrams