sextan: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Extremely rare / Archaic / HistoricalHistorical / Technical (historical medicine)
Quick answer
What does “sextan” mean?
A type of fever or ague characterised by paroxysms that occur every sixth day.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A type of fever or ague characterised by paroxysms that occur every sixth day.
A now largely archaic medical term referring to a fever with a six-day cycle, historically used in classification of intermittent fevers like malaria.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No modern difference; the term is equally archaic in both variants.
Connotations
Historical, technical, obsolete. May appear in historical texts or discussions of medical history.
Frequency
Virtually never encountered in contemporary language outside historical or etymological contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “sextan” in a Sentence
The patient suffered from a ___.The ___ fever recurred every sixth day.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “sextan” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The sextan cycle was meticulously recorded.
- Sextan paroxysms were debilitating.
American English
- A sextan fever was diagnosed.
- He described the sextan pattern.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
May appear in historical papers on medicine or etymology.
Everyday
Never used.
Technical
Obsolete term in historical medical taxonomy.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sextan”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sextan”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sextan”
- Using it as a modern medical term.
- Confusing it with 'sextant'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an extremely rare and archaic term from historical medicine.
No, it is used historically only as a noun (type of fever) or adjective (describing the fever).
They are unrelated. 'Sextan' is a historical medical term (from Latin 'sextus', sixth). 'Sextant' is a navigational instrument (from Latin 'sextans', sixth part).
Only in very specialized contexts, such as studying the history of medicine, reading historical texts, or in etymological discussion.
A type of fever or ague characterised by paroxysms that occur every sixth day.
Sextan is usually historical / technical (historical medicine) in register.
Sextan: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkstən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛkstən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'sextant' (navigation instrument with a 60-degree arc) and 'six' to remember the six-day cycle.
Conceptual Metaphor
Time as a measured cycle (the fever's recurrence is tied to a strict temporal interval).
Practice
Quiz
The term 'sextan' is primarily used in which context today?