anthrax

noun

an·​thrax ˈan-ˌthraks 

: 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

Kristof’s critics have recalled past incidents in which the double Pulitzer Prize winner was betrayed by his reliance on deceptive sources, including identifying an innocent man as the author of the anthrax terror attacks of 2001. —David Frum, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026

During her time with the Coast Guard, Schwartz instituted a disease surveillance program and vaccination programs and wrote the first health protection policies for the force, including anthrax and smallpox vaccination policies. —Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026

Scientists proposed infecting cattle feed—linseed cakes—with anthrax and scattering them across German pastures. —Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 Apr. 2026

After anthrax spores enter the animal’s body, immune cells known as macrophages pick up these spores for removal. —Hannah Kinzer, The Conversation, 25 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French, originally a word applied to the dark skin lesion associated with the cutaneous form of the disease, extended in the 18th century to the disease itself (also called charbon); earlier, "dark skin lesion, carbuncle," going back to Middle French antrac, borrowed from Late Latin anthrac-, anthrax, borrowed from Greek anthrak-, ánthrax "charcoal (burning or unlit, usually in plural), coal, dark red precious stone, dark skin lesion," probably of pre-Greek substratal origin

Note: In the sense "carbuncle, purulent skin lesion (of various origins)," anthrax has been in occasional use in English since Middle English (then attested as antrax, antrace). Regarding the origin of the Greek word, cf. andráchlē "warming pan, brazier," (with -d- for -th-) and kándaros glossed ánthrax by Hesychius (k- alternating with ø), features (along with the suffix -ak-) suggesting substratal origin (see Robert Beekes, Etymological Dictionary of Greek, Brill, 2010).

First Known Use

1776, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

anthrax

noun

an·​thrax ˈan-ˌthraks 

: an infectious and usually fatal disease of warm-blooded animals (as cattle and sheep) caused by a bacterium and transmissible to humans

also : a bacterium causing anthrax

Medical Definition

anthrax

noun

an·​thrax ˈan-ˌthraks 

plural anthraces -thrə-ˌsēz 

: 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