rinderpest

noun

rin·der·pest | \ ˈrin-dər-ˌpest

Definition of rinderpest

: an acute infectious disease of ruminant mammals (such as cattle) that is caused by a morbillivirus (species Rinderpest morbillivirus) and that is marked by fever, diarrhea, and inflammation of mucous membranes and by high mortality in epidemics

Examples of rinderpest in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The successful efforts relied on each of those diseases having only a single host, humans for smallpox and cattle for rinderpest. — Maryn Mckenna, Wired, 31 Dec. 2021 In fact, this feat has only been achieved with smallpox and rinderpest (a viral disease that afflicts cows). — Amesh Adalja, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2021 It's been achieved only twice: with rinderpest and smallpox. — Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 13 May 2021 Italy’s expansion across Ethiopia was facilitated by the devastation caused by rinderpest—an infectious viral disease—that killed up to 90% of the country’s livestock. — Yirga Gelaw Woldeyes, Quartz Africa, 2 Mar. 2020 So far, only two infectious diseases have been globally eradicated: smallpox and rinderpest, a viral disease that affects cattle. — Beth Mole, Ars Technica, 24 Oct. 2019 It was thought that a local outbreak of a disease called rinderpest had wiped out the zebra and wildebeest that the lions normally preyed on, making the cats desperate enough to prey on humans, who the lions then consumed entirely. — Brian Switek, Smithsonian, 19 Apr. 2017 It was thought that a local outbreak of a disease called rinderpest had wiped out the zebra and wildebeest that the lions normally preyed on, making the cats desperate enough to prey on humans, who the lions then consumed entirely. — Brian Switek, Smithsonian, 19 Apr. 2017 Mankind has successfully managed to eradicate only two diseases to date: smallpox in humans followed by the deadly cattle plague, rinderpest. — Dr. René Carlson, latimes.com, 25 May 2017 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'rinderpest.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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“Rinderpest.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rinderpest. Accessed 21 May. 2022.

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More Definitions for rinderpest

rinderpest

noun

rin·der·pest | \ ˈrin-dər-ˌpest

Medical Definition of rinderpest

: an acute infectious usually fatal disease of ruminant animals (as cattle) that is caused by a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus (species Rinderpest morbillivirus), is marked by fever, diarrhea, and inflammation of mucous membranes, and has been eradicated globally by widespread vaccination

— called also cattle plague