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

Wolves are removing elk, deer, and moose infected with chronic wasting disease — present in 37 states and 3 provinces. —Jim Martin, Denver Post, 27 June 2025

Indiana documented its first case of chronic wasting disease last April during deer season in LaGrange County. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 13 Feb. 2025

But wolves can be useful on the land, killing deer and elk that have contracted chronic wasting disease (CWD). —Ted Williams, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025

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

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