Which term describes an increase in body temperature before death?

The term that accurately describes an increase in body temperature before death is agonal fever. This phenomenon occurs as a response to stress or infection just prior to the time of death, leading the body's temperature regulation to become disrupted. During this agonal period, the body might experience various physiological changes, and the fever can signify the body's struggle to cope with the impending failure of vital functions.

In contrast, the other terms listed do not refer to the increase in body temperature. Agonal decomposition relates to the breakdown of bodily tissues following death, while agonal translocation refers to movements of fluids and materials within the body during the dying process. Agonal algor, on the other hand, describes a decrease in body temperature before death. Thus, agonal fever uniquely encapsulates the increased temperature phenomenon that occurs in the moments leading up to death.