malaria
noun
ma·lar·ia
mə-ˈler-ē-ə 
1
a
: a human disease that is caused by sporozoan parasites (genus Plasmodium) in the red blood cells, is transmitted by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and is characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever
b
: any of various diseases of birds and mammals caused by blood protozoans
2
Examples of malaria in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The memos, also obtained by ProPublica, estimated that up to 166,000 people would die from malaria due to the cuts, while 200,000 children would be paralyzed by polio.
—
Dan Cody, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
New modeling from Malaria No More suggests that just a year of disruption of life-saving malaria drugs would lead to 15 million additional malaria cases and 107,000 additional deaths globally, most occurring in low-income countries in Africa.
—Omer Awan, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Utah officials ordered huge supplies of the malaria medication in March 2020 as right-wing personalities promoted it as a treatment for COVID-19.
—Erin Alberty, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
The New York Times: The State Department terminated funding for polio, HIV, malaria and nutrition programs around the world, using terse emails to communicate the cutoff.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 28 Feb. 2025
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Dan Cody, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
New modeling from Malaria No More suggests that just a year of disruption of life-saving malaria drugs would lead to 15 million additional malaria cases and 107,000 additional deaths globally, most occurring in low-income countries in Africa.
—Omer Awan, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Utah officials ordered huge supplies of the malaria medication in March 2020 as right-wing personalities promoted it as a treatment for COVID-19.
—Erin Alberty, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
The New York Times: The State Department terminated funding for polio, HIV, malaria and nutrition programs around the world, using terse emails to communicate the cutoff.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 28 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for malaria
Cite this Entry
“Malaria.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malaria. Accessed 22 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malaria
noun
ma·lar·ia
mə-ˈler-ē-ə
: a disease caused by protozoan parasites in the red blood cells, passed from one individual to another by the bite of mosquitoes, and marked by periodic attacks of chills and fever
Medical Definition
malaria
noun
ma·lar·ia
mə-ˈler-ē-ə
1
: an acute or chronic disease caused by the presence of sporozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium in the red blood cells, transmitted from an infected to an uninfected individual by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever that coincide with mass destruction of blood cells and the release of toxic substances by the parasite at the end of each reproductive cycle
malaria remains the greatest single cause of debilitation and death throughout the world—The Journal of the American Medical Association
see falciparum malaria, vivax malaria
The Journal of the American Medical Association2
: any of various diseases of birds and mammals that are more or less similar to malaria of human beings and are caused by blood protozoans
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