rabies

ra·bies | \ ˈrā-bēz

plural rabies

Definition of rabies

: an acute virus disease of the nervous system of mammals that is caused by a rhabdovirus (species Rabies virus of the genus Lyssavirus) usually transmitted through the bite of a rabid animal and that is characterized typically by increased salivation, abnormal behavior, and eventual paralysis and death when untreated

Examples of rabies in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web All adoptions include a microchip, a rabies vaccination, first round of shots, spay/neuter surgery and free, lifetime training for canines. — Vincent T. Davis, ExpressNews.com, "Live Release Team works with troubled dogs to find them homes across San Antonio," 30 June 2020 Some vaccines, such as the one for rabies, can be distributed to wild animals by putting them out as food, but the vaccine for the rabbit-hemorrhagic-disease virus has to be given by injection and repeated every year. — Susan Orlean, The New Yorker, "The Rabbit Outbreak," 29 June 2020 The woman was given a rabies treatment preventatively. — oregonlive, "First 2020 Oregon case of bat rabies reported; public reminded to avoid contact," 10 June 2020 The Trump administration is not funding vaccine approaches that have been used for more than 50 years, including for current vaccines against hepatitis, flu, polio, and rabies. — Elizabeth Cohen, CNN, "Scientists worry 'Operation Warp Speed' is missing tried and true vaccines," 17 June 2020 Vaccine manufacturing and production costs about $500 million on average, says Stanley Plotkin, a physician whose research contributed to the development of vaccines for rubella, rabies, and polio. — Olivia Goldhill, Quartz, "Coronavirus has upended the profit incentives for pharmaceutical research," 15 June 2020 The bat tested positive for rabies at Oregon State Veterinary Lab. — oregonlive, "First 2020 Oregon case of bat rabies reported; public reminded to avoid contact," 10 June 2020 The department warned residents that the rabies virus is fatal to people unless it's treated in a timely fashion. — Fox News, "New York woman nabbed while allegedly handing out baby raccoons," 5 June 2020 The city of Utqiagvik, the northernmost community in the U.S., is under a rabies quarantine for the next three weeks after an infected fox bit a local dog, North Slope Borough veterinarian Lyndall Soule said. — Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, "Utqiagvik is under a citywide rabies quarantine," 24 Dec. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rabies.' 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

9 Jul 2020

Cite this Entry

“Rabies.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rabies. Accessed 12 Jul. 2020.

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More Definitions for rabies

rabies

noun

English Language Learners Definition of rabies

: a very serious and often fatal disease that affects animals (such as dogs) and that can be passed on to people if an infected animal bites them

See the full definition for rabies in the English Language Learners Dictionary

rabies

noun

ra·bies | \ ˈrā-bēz

Kids Definition of rabies

: a deadly disease of the nervous system that affects animals and can be passed on to people by the bite of an infected animal

rabies

noun

ra·bies | \ ˈrā-bēz

plural rabies

Medical Definition of rabies

: an acute virus disease of the central nervous system of warm-blooded animals that is transmitted in infected saliva usually through the bite of a rabid animal and that is typically characterized by fatigue, headache, fever, and general discomfort progressing to increased salivation, excitability, confusion, muscle weakness and spasms, hallucinations, abnormal behavior, paralysis, coma, and death

Note: Rabies has a long incubation period that averages several weeks but may be as long as several years. Once the symptoms appear, rabies is typically untreatable and fatal. If received soon after the bite of a rabid animal, treatment is usually effective and involves administration of immune globulin and a series of rabies vaccine injections. Rabies is caused by a rhabdovirus (species Rabies virus of the genus Lyssavirus).

— called also hydrophobia

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