Minamata disease
1
6.8
- noun
- /ˈmɪnəˌmɑːtə dɪˈziːz/
- Specialized
:
enfermedad de Minamata
- The tragic history of Minamata disease raised worldwide awareness about industrial pollution.
Examples
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Researchers have studied the long-term effects of Minamata disease on neurological health.
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Hundreds of people suffered from Minamata disease after consuming fish contaminated with mercury.
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Many victims of Minamata disease suffered from severe neurological damage.
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The symptoms of Minamata disease can include tremors and vision problems.
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Many people in Minamata suffered from Minamata disease due to mercury contamination in the fish they consumed.
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After eating contaminated seafood, he was diagnosed with Minamata disease, which affected his nervous system.
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The documentary highlighted the devastating effects of Minamata disease on the local population in Japan.
Synonyms
4
4.1
A sickness caused by breathing or eating mercury that harms the body and brain
Surface Forms
Morphology
Minamata + disease
While 'disease' is transparent, 'Minamata' is a proper name referring to a specific place/event; a learner who knows both words would likely infer simply 'a disease associated with Minamata' but not the crucial etiological detail. The specific sense—a severe neurological disorder caused by mercury poisoning—is not derivable from the constituents, so the expression is only partially predictable.
Etymology
Minamata disease is named after the town and bay of Minamata in Japan, where a factory dumped mercury into the water and poisoned the local fish. People who ate the fish got severe 'mercury poisoning' that harmed their brain and nerves, so today the name means this kind of serious illness caused by mercury exposure.