Antipyresis

/ˌæntɪpaɪˈriːsɪs/ noun

Definition

The process of reducing or counteracting fever; the natural or medical mechanism of fever reduction.

Etymology

From anti- (against) + pyresis (from Greek pyr, fire). Medical terminology uses Greek 'pyresis' (fever state) to name the therapeutic process of fighting fever.

Kelly Says

The word connects fever to 'fire' literally—Greek physicians spoke of fever as an internal burning, so antipyresis is like medical 'firefighting,' and this metaphor influenced how we still talk about 'cooling' someone's fever.

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