anthrax
pronunciation
How to pronounce anthrax in British English:
UK [ˈænθræks]
How to pronounce anthrax in American English:
US [ˈænˌθræks]
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- Noun:
- a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep); it can be transmitted to people
- a disease of humans that is not communicable; caused by infection with Bacillus anthracis followed by septicemia
- a species of Bacillus that causes anthrax in humans and in animals (cattle and swine and sheep and sheep and rabbits and mice and guinea pigs); can be used a bioweapon
Word Origin
- anthrax
- anthrax: [14] In Greek, anthrax means ‘coal’ (hence English anthracite [19]). The notion of a burning coal led to its being applied metaphorically to a very severe boil or carbuncle, and that is how it was first used in English. It was not until the late 19th century that the word came into general use, when it was applied to the bacterial disease of animals that had been described by Louis Pasteur (which produces large ulcers on the body).=> anthracite
- anthrax (n.)
- late 14c., "any severe boil or carbuncle," from Latin, from Greek anthrax "charcoal, live coal," also "carbuncle," which is of unknown origin. Specific sense of the malignant disease in sheep and cattle (and occasionally humans) is from 1876.
Example
- 1. The rod shaped anthrax bacteria : bacillus anthracis bacteria , the cause of anthrax .
- 2. At least 22 people contracted anthrax as a result ; five died .
- 3. After the anthrax attacks of 2001 , america created the national science advisory board for biosecurity ( nsabb ) to advise the health department .
- 4. As a result , a clutch of rival theories have blossomed , including the contention that an ebola-style virus or the anthrax germ were to blame .
- 5. Spurred by the anthrax hysteria of 2001 , the u. s.government has thrown billions of dollars into developing new equipment and technologies to detect chemical and biological warfare agents .