Calenture is a rare and archaic term for a fever or delirium, often associated with tropical climates and prolonged exposure to the sun. It was historically believed to cause sailors, in particular, to hallucinate and perceive the sea as land, leading them to leap overboard to their deaths. The word embodies a sense of heat-induced madness and delusion, representing a dangerous state of cognitive and emotional dysfunction. Although less common now, calenture remains a potent symbol of extreme heat's psychological and physical impact.
Calenture meaning with examples
- The relentless sun beat down on the stranded sailors, and as the days wore on, whispers of calenture began to circulate among them, as some started seeing mirages of land and imagined lush fields. It was a deadly illusion fueled by desperation and the brutal heat.
- Reading the old sea journals, I was struck by the frequent mentions of calenture and the tragic fate of those consumed by it. The disease of hallucination painted a terrifying picture of the unforgiving tropical elements and the perilous journeys.
- The explorer's account spoke vividly of calenture gripping the crew after weeks without fresh water. The men were increasingly agitated and arguing, and some even declared that they could already smell the soil, despite being miles from the shore.
- The ship's surgeon desperately tried to prevent calenture from claiming the lives of his charges. He knew hydration and shade were the only defenses against the devastating mental and physical effects. He kept repeating that it was not land they smelled.
- The artist captured the horror of calenture on canvas, depicting a sailor reaching out toward a phantom landscape; a cautionary tale that warned about the perils of being stranded in the glaring sun and far from any safe harbor.