Rocky Mountain spotted fever
noun
: an acute disease that is characterized by chills, fever, prostration, pains in muscles and joints, and a red to purple eruption and that is caused by a rickettsial bacteria (Rickettsia rickettsii) usually transmitted by an ixodid tick and especially the American dog tick, brown dog tick, or a wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni)
Word History
First Known Use
1905, in the meaning defined above
Medical Definition
Rocky Mountain spotted fever
noun
Rocky Moun·tain spotted fever ˈräk-ē-ˈmau̇nt-ᵊn- 
: an acute bacterial disease that is characterized by chills, fever, prostration, pains in muscles and joints, and a red purple eruption and that is caused by a bacterium of the genus Rickettsia (R. rickettsii) usually transmitted by ixodid ticks and especially by the American dog tick, brown dog tick, and Rocky Mountain wood tick