Which term means without fever, i.e., not febrile?

• A. Normothermic
• B. Pyrexic
• C. Afebrile
• D. Febrile

Answer: (C)

Understanding temperature terminology helps you pick the right description for a patient who does not have a fever. Febrile means feverish, while afebrile means without fever. Pyrexic is another term related to fever, and febrile is simply the opposite of afebrile.

Afebrile is the best fit here because it explicitly states the absence of fever. Normothermic describes a normal temperature range, which generally implies no fever, but it’s a broader term and not as precise as afebrile when you want to indicate there is no fever currently. Pyrexic and febrile both indicate fever or feverish state, so they don’t match the “not febrile” condition.

For example, a patient with a normal temperature and no signs of infection would be described as afebrile.