noun
Uncommon
anthrax
AN-thraks
Anthrax (noun) means a serious infectious disease, caused by a bacterium, that mainly affects livestock like cattle and sheep but can also infect humans. Example: “Farmers vaccinate their herds to prevent outbreaks of anthrax.”
noun
1
A serious infectious disease, caused by a bacterium, that mainly affects livestock like cattle and sheep but can also infect humans.
"Farmers vaccinate their herds to prevent outbreaks of anthrax."
"The letters contaminated with anthrax spores caused a nationwide health scare in 2001."
How to use anthrax
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA dangerous bacterial disease that mostly affects farm animals but can infect people too.
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Word forms
- Plural
- anthraxes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
Farmers vaccinate their herds to prevent outbreaks of _____.
Etymology
From Greek anthrax, "coal" or "boil" — a reference to the dark, coal-like skin sores the disease can cause.
Synonyms
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charbon
Cumberland disease
malignant edema
Siberian plague
splenic fever
ragsorter's disease
woolsorter's disease
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “anthrax” mean?
The word “anthrax” means a serious infectious disease, caused by a bacterium, that mainly affects livestock like cattle and sheep but can also infect humans. In plain terms, a dangerous bacterial disease that mostly affects farm animals but can infect people too.
How do you pronounce “anthrax”?
“Anthrax” is pronounced AN-thraks (/ˈæn.θɹæks/ in IPA).
How do you use “anthrax” in a sentence?
Here is “anthrax” used in a sentence: “Farmers vaccinate their herds to prevent outbreaks of anthrax.”
What is another word for “anthrax”?
Words with a similar meaning to “anthrax” include charbon, Cumberland disease, malignant edema, Siberian plague, splenic fever and ragsorter's disease.
What part of speech is “anthrax”?
“Anthrax” is a noun.
Where does the word “anthrax” come from?
The word “anthrax” comes from Greek. From Greek anthrax, "coal" or "boil" — a reference to the dark, coal-like skin sores the disease can cause.
Is “anthrax” a common word?
“Anthrax” is an uncommon word in modern English.
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