English · Slang Attested

scarlet fever

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

Romantic attraction to soldiers in preference to other people.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

say đắm với người lính

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Examples

Soldiers are notorious for hunting up these women, especially nurse-maids and those that in the execution of their duty walk in the Parks, when they may easily be accosted. Nurse-maids feel flattered by the attention that is lavished upon them, and are always ready to succumb to the “scarlet fever.”

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Both English Tiếng Việt

Meaning · English

the desire felt by young ladies to flirt with officers in preference to civilians.

Nghĩa · Tiếng Việt

khát vọng tán tỉnh của các cô gái trẻ với sĩ quan

Machine-translated — suggest a fix

Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)

Where it’s used: Origin British & Irish English

Sources & notes

Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.

Topics: Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “scarlet fever” mean?

Romantic attraction to soldiers in preference to other people.

Is “scarlet fever” formal or informal?

scarlet fever is generally slang.