glandular fever: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
MediumMedical / General (Colloquial)
Quick answer
What does “glandular fever” mean?
A common infectious viral illness causing fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and fatigue.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A common infectious viral illness causing fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and fatigue.
The colloquial term for infectious mononucleosis, caused primarily by the Epstein-Barr virus, characterized by the symptoms above and often prolonged recovery.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
'Glandular fever' is the dominant common term in the UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. In the US, 'mono' or 'mononucleosis' is far more common, with 'glandular fever' being understood but rarely used in everyday speech.
Connotations
Both terms carry the same medical meaning. 'Mono' (US) has a slightly more informal, everyday connotation.
Frequency
In UK corpus data, 'glandular fever' is significantly more frequent than 'infectious mononucleosis'. The reverse is true in US data.
Grammar
How to Use “glandular fever” in a Sentence
[person] has / caught / got / developed / is recovering from glandular fever.[person] was diagnosed with glandular fever.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “glandular fever” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The glandular fever symptoms persisted for weeks.
- He had a classic glandular fever presentation.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in HR or personal communication regarding sick leave (e.g., 'She's on long-term sick leave with glandular fever.').
Academic
Used in medical, nursing, or biology papers, often alongside or replaced by 'infectious mononucleosis'.
Everyday
Common in conversation about health, especially concerning teenagers and young adults (e.g., 'My son's been off school with glandular fever.').
Technical
Used in clinical notes, but 'Infectious Mononucleosis (IM)' is the preferred formal diagnosis.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “glandular fever”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “glandular fever”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “glandular fever”
- Mispronouncing 'glandular' as /ˈɡlænduːlɑːr/.
- Using 'glandular fever' in formal US medical writing where 'mononucleosis' is expected.
- Confusing it with tonsillitis or influenza due to overlapping symptoms.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
For most people, it is an unpleasant but self-limiting illness. However, the fatigue can be prolonged, and in rare cases, it can cause complications like an enlarged spleen.
It is spread through saliva, often by kissing or sharing drinks or utensils, which is why it's sometimes called 'the kissing disease'.
While both cause a sore throat, glandular fever (mononucleosis) is a systemic viral infection causing widespread swollen glands, extreme fatigue, and sometimes a rash, often lasting much longer than bacterial tonsillitis.
It is very rare. After having it, most people develop lifelong immunity, though the virus can remain dormant in the body and reactivate without symptoms.
A common infectious viral illness causing fever, sore throat, swollen glands, and fatigue.
Glandular fever is usually medical / general (colloquial) in register.
Glandular fever: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡlændjʊlə ˈfiːvə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡlændʒələr ˈfivər/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of GLANDS that swell with FEVER. The key symptoms are in the name.
Conceptual Metaphor
ILLNESS IS AN INVADER / BURDEN (e.g., 'It really knocked her out.', 'She's battling it.').
Practice
Quiz
In which country is the term 'glandular fever' MOST commonly used in everyday speech?