noun
- a tropical fever or delirium affecting sailors, historically believed to be caused by the heat and monotony of long sea voyages
Usage: archaic; nautical; historical
Examples
- The ship's doctor documented cases of calenture among the crew during their passage through equatorial waters.
- Sailors suffering from calenture would sometimes hallucinate and become dangerously confused.
- In the age of sail, calenture was a recognized occupational hazard for those working in tropical climates.
- The captain feared that calenture might spread through the crew if they remained in the heat much longer.