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Glite Dictionary
myxomatosis

myxomatosis

1 9.9
A usually deadly viral disease of rabbits that causes swelling and sores
  • noun
  • /ˌmɪksoʊməˈtoʊsɪs/
  • Specialized
: mixomatosis
  • I haven't got myxomatosis!
  • myxomatosis virus

Examples

  • The myxomatosis virus has caused significant declines in rabbit populations across Europe.

  • Conversely, when the myxomatosis rabbit virus invaded Britain in 1953 and wiped out 99 percent of the rabbits, stoats practically disappeared, while common weasels became much more abundant.

    Academic text (1991)

  • The spreading of myxomatosis has been stepped up.

    Celia (1989)

  • Mosquitoess usually our enemy are temporarily our friends as they spread the Myxomatosis virus.

    Celia (1989)

  • Unfortunately, the general public had become accustomed to the idea that miracle bugs could be found to destroy almost any introduced pest, partly as a result of the success against the prickly pear and the Myxomatosis campaign against the European rabbit.

    Academic text (1992)

  • Farmers reported losses in their rabbit stocks due to outbreaks of myxomatosis in recent years.

  • Infected rabbits often show visible signs of myxomatosis, including severe swelling and skin lesions.

Surface Forms

myxomatosis singular
myxomatoses plural

Morphology

myxomatosis = myxoma (opaque) = myxoma + osis

A medical formation using Greek combining stems; ordinary learners cannot infer the disease meaning from the rare base 'myxoma' or the combining form.

Etymology

The word myxomatosis comes from the Greek myxa meaning 'mucus' and the parts -oma 'tumor' and -osis 'disease'. So the name points to the swollen, wet sores and mucus the virus makes in rabbits, which is why this illness is called myxomatosis.