jungle fever
- noun
- /ˈdʒʌŋɡəl ˈfiːvər/
- Archaic
- Ever since she read about the Amazon, she's had jungle fever and dreams of exploring rainforests.
Examples
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His jungle fever pushed him to sign up for a trekking adventure in Southeast Asia.
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Travel magazines often fuel readers' jungle fever with stories of wild, untouched landscapes.
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She has a serious case of jungle fever!
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After visiting Costa Rica, I caught jungle fever.
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After reading travel blogs, she caught jungle fever and planned her trip to the Amazon rainforest.
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His jungle fever inspired him to embark on a thrilling journey to explore the wilderness of Madagascar.
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Travel documentaries often spark jungle fever among viewers eager for adventure in exotic locations.
Synonyms
A strong desire to travel and see new places
To want very much to go to new places
To want very much to try new exciting things
A strong wish to try exciting or unusual experiences
Antonyms
How Adventurous
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly built from 'jungle' (exotic, tropical place) + 'fever' (a metaphorical state of intense excitement or craving); the pattern X + 'fever' = a craze or intense desire is productive in English. A B1 learner who knows both words can reasonably infer 'an intense desire for adventure or exotic travel' from the constituents.
Etymology
Jungle fever paints the picture of being 'bitten' by the jungle, so you catch the fever to travel to wild places. That's why it means 'a strong desire for adventure'.