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tertian

(Science: medicine) Occurring every third day; as, a tertian fever.

Origin: L. Tertianus, from tertius the third. See Tierce.

1. (Science: medicine) A disease, especially an intermittent fever, which returns every third day, reckoning inclusively, or in which the intermission lasts one day.

2. A liquid measure formerly used for wine, equal to seventy imperial, or eighty-four wine, gallons, being one third of a tun.

Origin: L. Tertiana (sc. Febris): cf. OF. Tertiane.