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epizootic

noun
/ɛpɪ.zəˈwɒtɪk/

Etymology

From French épizootique, animal equivalent of epidemic, from épizootie, irregularly formed from Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí) + ζῷον (zōîon, “animal”). By surface analysis, epi- + zo- + -otic. Use of the word in the second sense, "an ailment", was likely originally a reference to a particular epizootic ailment. Both senses are attested since at least the 1800s, and the pronunciation with five syllables is explicitly attested since then as well. Dialectal pronunciation of the second sense with four syllables is attested since at least the 1910s in spellings like "epizudic" and is suggested by 1870s references to a shortened form of the word, "zooty".

  1. derived from épizootique

Definitions

  1. An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a population of non-human animals at a…

    An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a population of non-human animals at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period.

    • At the same time as an epidemic of the flu broke out among the people, an epizootic of the swine flu broke out among their pigs.
    • […]but it can be asserted with confidence that Natal will for some years yet be free from the possibility of an invasion of the disease to the same degree as the epizootic of 1896 and 1897.

  2. A particular epizootic disease.

    • A surgeon in the town has also informed me, that a person requested him to prescribe for some lambs affected with the epizootic, and he gave them Epsom salts and opium, with, as he said, very good effect.

  3. A disease or ailment (of humans).

    • Johnny's not doing so well today, I think he caught the epizootic.
    • Last fall, when Dad had the Epizootic; no, I don't mean that, tho I did think he had em, but when the Chicargar hosses got the Epizootic, Dad got all fired mad caus that xpressman didn't cum round to move the rest of our traps.
    • Never do I have colds — but I got the epizootics(?) and sneezed my head off — twenty three times yesterday.
  4. ›+ 3 more definitions

    1. Like or having to do with an epizootic

      Like or having to do with an epizootic: a widespread outbreak of disease among nonhuman animals.

      • Epizootic plague occurred in the mice following introduction of rats from Europe.
      • As much attention is being drawn to the subject of epizootic abortion in bovines, [...]
      • These are known respectively as the hair lung worm and the thread lung worm. The former of these is probably the more widely diffused, but the latter is more epizootic in flocks than the former.

    2. Containing fossils.

      • Hence their primary division is into primeval and secondary or Epizootic. And the epizootic mountains are still farther distinguishable into original and derivative.

    3. Relating to epizoa

      Relating to epizoa; epizoic.

The neighborhood

Derived

antiepizootic, epizootically, epizootic hemorrhagic disease, epizootic ulcerative syndrome, epizootize, interepizootic, nonepizootic

Vish — recursive loop

No curated loop yet for epizootic. Loops are being traced one word at a time while the ingestion pipeline matures.

sense glosses and etymology drawn from English Wiktionary · source · CC-BY-SA