anthrax

noun

an·thrax | \ ˈan-ˌthraks

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

Japanese doctors used the prisoners as guinea pigs, infecting them with anthrax and plague. — James M. Scott, WSJ, "Five Best: James M. Scott," 8 Nov. 2018 Prepare to lose it once more when Mary goes blind (still not over this), happy cry during Laura's wedding to Almanzo Wilder, and throw popcorn at your TV when an anthrax outbreak wreaks havoc on the pastoral Walnut Grove. — Blair Donovan, Country Living, "'Little House on the Prairie' Is Now Streaming on Amazon So Cancel Your Weekend Plans," 6 Mar. 2019 After 9/11, a photographer for the Enquirer died of anthrax exposure and traces of the disease were found in the company's Boca Raton office. — Adam Rathe, Town & Country, "Has National Enquirer Publisher David Pecker Met His Match in Jeff Bezos?," 8 Feb. 2019 But after Clinton left office, bioterrorism became a far more pressing threat, in the wake of several anthrax attacks in 2001. — Adi Robertson, The Verge, "Remembering Grim Fandango: this week in tech, 20 years ago," 3 Nov. 2018 But the term continued to flourish, especially after 9/11, likely encouraged by reports of anthrax becoming weaponized in bioterrorism. — Ben Zimmer, WSJ, "‘Weaponize,’ a Term for Arms, From the Tennis Court to the Supreme Court," 27 July 2018 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

These 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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Last Updated

10 May 2019

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Time Traveler for anthrax

The first known use of anthrax was in 1861

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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

an·thrax | \ ˈan-ˌthraks

Kids Definition of anthrax

: a serious bacterial disease of warm-blooded animals (as sheep) that can affect humans

anthrax

noun

an·thrax | \ ˈan-ˌthraks

plural anthraces\ -thrə-ˌsēz

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