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foot-and-mouth disease

foot-and-mouth disease

2 3.8
A very contagious viral disease of animals like cows or sheep that causes fever and mouth and hoof sores
  • noun
  • /fʊt ənd maʊθ dɪˈziːz/
  • Specialized
translation icon : aftosa
  • Recently, the practice of feeding food residuals has been called into question because of concerns with BSE and foot-and-mouth disease.
  • foot-and-mouth disease outbreak
  • spread of foot-and-mouth disease
  • cases of foot-and-mouth disease

Examples

  • Government officials reported an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in several farms across the region.

  • The veterinarian examined the cattle for signs of foot-and-mouth disease after the alarming reports from neighboring farms.

  • Bear in mind that the devastating disease known as foot and mouth disease is really just a form of cattle flu.

    Blog text (31)
  • I think that cow died of foot-and-mouth disease.

  • There was just one condition on the exports: the beef had to be certified free of foot-and-mouth disease.

    Academic text (2006)
  • Remember that disagreeable outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in England last summer?

  • The 2001 outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in the United Kingdom incurred at least $16 billion in damages (Perrings et al. 2009).

    Academic text (2011)
  • Amazon herds are a small portion of national herds (usually less than 5%); aftosa (foot and mouth disease) is endemic to the region.

    Academic text (1993)
  • Farmers are concerned about the spread of foot-and-mouth disease, as it can severely affect livestock health.

Synonyms

hoof-and-mouth disease
vsfoot-and-mouth disease
  • UK
1 4.2

A contagious disease that causes fever and painful sores on the mouth and feet of animals like cows and sheep

is the standard name used more widely
aftosa
vsfoot-and-mouth disease
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A disease caused by a virus that makes blisters on the mouths and feet of farm animals

is the same disease but called by a different common name

Surface Forms

Morphology

foot-and-mouth + disease

The compound is compositionally built from 'foot', 'mouth' and 'disease' and therefore directly signals a disease affecting the foot and mouth — a meaning that a B1 learner who knows the parts can readily infer. While specialist details (that it is a viral illness of cloven‑hoofed livestock) are not recoverable from the words alone, the general idea of a disease affecting those body parts is transparent.

Etymology

Foot-and-mouth disease is named for the places the illness attacks: the foot and the mouth of farm animals like cows and sheep. One clear image is animals with painful 'sores' on their feet and in their mouths, so the name means a 'very contagious' disease that damages animals and spreads quickly.