Phrase guide

Picardy sweat

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A disease of 18th- and 19th-century Europe, first recorded in Picardy, France, that resulted in excessive uncontrollable sweating and in severe cases was quickly followed by death. Thought to be caused by hantavirus.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: medicine, pathology, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Picardy sweating sickness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: sweating sickness, sweat, sweats

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

4 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • French: suette des Picards — Translations
  • German: picard'scher Schweiß — Translations
  • German: picard'sches Schweissfieber — Translations
  • German: Frieselfieber — Translations