foot-and-mouth disease

noun

ˈfu̇t-ən(d)-ˈmau̇th- 

: an acute contagious febrile disease especially of cloven-footed animals that is caused by serotypes of a picornavirus (Aphthovirus vesiculae) and is marked by ulcerating vesicles (see vesicle sense 1b) in the mouth, about the hooves, and on the udder and teats

called also foot-and-mouth, hoof-and-mouth disease

compare hand, foot and mouth disease

Examples of foot-and-mouth disease in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hungary detected its first foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in over 50 years on March 7, 2025, at a cattle farm near the Slovak border. —Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025

The statement went on to warn that foot-and-mouth disease is a concern with Argentine beef. —Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2025

And Trump's own Agriculture Secretary has raised concerns about Argentine cattle potentially carrying foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025

Producers fear that the export market would vanish overnight if diseases, including mad cow or foot-and-mouth disease, infected Australian cattle. —Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1850, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for foot-and-mouth disease

• ferromanganese
• mephistopheles
• ostracods
• abcs
• absentees
• addressees
• adoptees
• allottees
• amputees
• antifreeze
• appellees
• appointees

Kids Definition

foot-and-mouth disease

noun

: a virus disease especially of cattle that is marked by fever and by ulcers in the mouth, about the hooves, and on the udder

called also hoof-and-mouth disease

Medical Definition

foot-and-mouth disease

noun

: an acute contagious febrile disease especially of cloven-hoofed animals that is caused by any of seven serotypes of a picornavirus (Aphthovirus vesiculae) and is marked by ulcerating vesicles in the mouth, about the hooves, and on the udder and teats

called also aftosa, aphthous fever, foot-and-mouth, hoof-and-mouth disease

compare hand, foot and mouth disease