n. The abatement of a fever. [From Latin dēfervēscēns, dēfervēscent-, present participle of dēfervēscere, to stop boiling, cool off : dē-, de- + fervēscere, to grow hot, inchoative of fervēre, to be hot, boil; see bhreu- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] de′fer·vesce (-vĕs) v. de′fer·vescent adj. |
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