Word Study
tertian
CIDE DICTIONARY
tertian, a. [L. tertianus, from tertius the third. See Tierce.].
Occurring every third day; as, a tertian fever. [1913 Webster]
tertian, n. [L. tertiana (sc. febris): cf. OF. tertiane.].
- A disease, especially an intermittent fever, which returns every third day, reckoning inclusively, or in which the intermission lasts one day. [1913 Webster]
- A liquid measure formerly used for wine, equal to seventy imperial, or eighty-four wine, gallons, being one third of a tun. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
tertian, adj. (of a fever) recurring every third day by inclusive counting.
Etymology
ME (fever) tersiane f. L (febris) tertiana (as TERTIARY)
ROGET THESAURUS
tertian
Periodicity
N regularity of recurrence, periodicity, intermittence, beat, oscillation, pulse, pulsation, rhythm, alternation, alternateness, alternativeness, alternity, bout, round, revolution, rotation, turn, say, anniversary, jubilee, centenary, catamenia, courses, menses, menstrual flux, rota, cycle, period, stated time, routine, days of the week, Sunday, Monday, months of the year, January, feast, fast, Christmas, Easter, New Year's day, Allhallows, Allhallowmas, All Saints' Day, All Souls', All Souls' Day, Ash Wednesday, bicentennial, birthday, bissextile, Candlemas, Dewali, groundhog day, Halloween, Hallowmas, Lady day, leap year, Midsummer day, Muharram, woodchuck day, St. Swithin's day, natal day, yearbook, yuletide, punctuality, regularity, steadiness, periodic, periodical, serial, recurrent, cyclical, rhythmical, recurring, intermittent, remittent, alternate, every other, hourly, diurnal, daily, quotidian, tertian, weekly, hebdomadal, hebdomadary, biweekly, fortnightly, bimonthly, catamenial, monthly, menstrual, yearly, annual, biennial, triennial, centennial, secular, paschal, lenten, regular, steady, punctual, regular as clockwork, periodically, at regular intervals, at stated times, at fixed established, at established periods, punctually, de die in diem, from day to day, day by day, by turns, in turn, in rotation, alternately, every other day, off and on, ride and tie, round and round.For further exploring for "tertian" in Webster Dictionary Online