chikungunya

/t͡ʃɪkʊŋˈɡʊnjə/

Etymology

Borrowed from Makonde chikungunya (“that which bends up”), apparently referring to the arthritic effects of the disease. See -kunja, a suffix related to bending. Compare Swahili kunja (“to bend, to fold”).

chikungunya means A viral fever caused by the Chikungunya virus, an alphavirus spread by mosquito bites. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 93 out of 100.

chikungunya is pronounced /t͡ʃɪkʊŋˈɡʊnjə/.

noun

A viral fever caused by the Chikungunya virus, an alphavirus spread by mosquito bites.“Chikungunya and dengue arboviral diseases are in expansion throughout the world.”