anthrax
noun
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Definition of anthrax
: an infectious disease of warm-blooded animals (such as cattle and sheep) caused by a spore-forming bacterium (Bacillus anthracis), transmissible to humans especially by the handling of infected products (such as wool), and characterized by cutaneous ulcerating nodules or by often fatal lesions in the lungs also : the bacterium causing anthrax
Examples of anthrax in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
North Korea has denied producing or stockpiling things like smallpox and anthrax, which can deliver lethal results when used in incredibly small amounts (think ounces, or a few pounds at most). — Alex Diaz, Fox News, "North Korea, Trump have more than nukes to discuss at historic sit-down, experts say," 4 May 2018 In the months following this alarming turn, Soviet medical, veterinary and legal journals all attributed the illnesses to an outbreak of anthrax originating in livestock raised south of the city. — Susan Scutti, Newsweek, "The Only Thing Scarier Than Bio-Warfare is the Antidote," 13 Mar. 2014 In 2001, five U.S. newsrooms were the target of a series of letters containing anthrax. — Ben Kesling, WSJ, "At Least Five Dead in Shooting at Maryland Newspaper Office," 28 June 2018 That’s not to say that North Korea wouldn’t use anthrax in a war. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "North Korea Is Reportedly Testing Anthrax-Tipped ICBMs," 20 Dec. 2017 The group hoarded automatic weapons and recruited scientists as members to help develop chemical and biological weapons including sarin, VX, botulism and anthrax, according to Japan's National Police Agency. — Author: Stuart Biggs, Gearoid Reidy, Anchorage Daily News, "Japan executes cult leader and 6 others for deadly 1995 sarin attack," 6 July 2018 In 2001, Robert Stevens, a photo editor at the tabloid newspaper The Sun in Boca Raton, Fla., was killed by anthrax. — Ian Duncan, baltimoresun.com, "Fatal shooting of 5 at Capital Gazette marks rare attack on U.S. journalists," 29 June 2018 Pasteur invented pasteurization and vaccines for rabies and anthrax and discovered that many diseases are caused by invisible germs. — Jason Pontin, WIRED, "The 19th-Century Crank Who Tried to Tell Us About the Microbiome," 15 June 2018 Integral to the ecosystem, the species can eat the diseased remains of animals that might otherwise carry sicknesses, such as hog cholera or anthrax bacteria. — Jordyn Hermani, Indianapolis Star, "Black vultures are eating cows alive. But it's difficult to legally kill the birds.," 13 July 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'anthrax.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for anthrax
anthrax
noun
English Language Learners Definition of anthrax
: a serious disease that affects animals (such as cattle and sheep) and sometimes people
See the full definition for anthrax in the English Language Learners Dictionary
anthrax
noun
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Kids Definition of anthrax
: a serious bacterial disease of warm-blooded animals (as sheep) that can affect humans
anthrax
noun
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Medical Definition of anthrax
: an infectious disease of warm-blooded animals (as cattle and sheep) caused by a spore-forming bacterium (Bacillus anthracis), transmissible to humans especially by the handling of infected products (as hair), and characterized by cutaneous ulcerating nodules or by often fatal lesions in the lungs also : the bacterium causing anthrax
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