chronic wasting disease

noun

veterinary medicine

: a progressive, fatal prion disease of deer, elk, and moose that is characterized by weight loss, tremors, lack of coordination, drooling, excessive thirst, and listlessness

Since it was first identified two decades ago in deer in Colorado, chronic wasting disease has spread to a dozen states (including New York) and two Canadian provinces.

—Sandra Blakeslee

Scientists have identified a handful of diseases caused by misfolded proteins called prions, including mad cow disease, scrapie in sheep, and chronic wasting disease in deer and elk.

—Nathan Seppa

—abbreviation CWD

Examples of chronic wasting disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The disease is caused by misfolded proteins, or prions, which are also the cause of a disease in deer known as chronic wasting disease. —Susanne Rust, Los Angeles Times, 16 Apr. 2025

Infectious agents known as prions cause chronic wasting disease. —George Petras, USA TODAY, 29 Apr. 2024

Some include complaints over Missouri’s handling of chronic wasting disease among deer, while others hone in on allegations of local government corruption or the requirement that vehicles have two license plates. —Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 14 Feb. 2025

At the same time, conserving Wyoming’s fish and wildlife amid all the modern-day threats — things like chronic wasting disease and invasive zebra mussels — is getting more expensive. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1980, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for chronic wasting disease

• idiosyncrasies
• abcs
• absentees
• addressees
• adoptees
• allottees
• amputees
• antifreeze
• appellees
• appointees
• arrestees
• artistes