Definition of spongiform encephalopathy
: any of various degenerative diseases of the brain characterized by the development of porous spongelike lesions in brain tissue and by deterioration in neurological functioning
specifically
: prion disease
Test Your Vocabulary
Odd Habits and Quirks
-
- Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share spongiform encephalopathy
Time Traveler for spongiform encephalopathy
The first known use of spongiform encephalopathy was in 1960
See more words from the same year