Webster's English Dictionary

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malaria

ma.lar.ia also ma.lar.i.an \m*-'ler-e--*\ \-*l\ \-*n\ \-*s\ n [It, fr. mala 
   aria bad air] archaic  1: air infected with a noxious substance capable of 
   causing disease; esp  : MIASMA 2a: a human disease caused by sporozoan 
   parasites (genus Plasmodium)  in the red blood cells, transmitted by the 
   bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and characterized by periodic attacks of 
   chills and fever 2b: any of various diseases of birds and mammals caused by 
   blood protozoans  - ma.lar.i.al aj