spongiform encephalopathy
noun
spon·gi·form encephalopathy
ˈspən-ji-ˌfȯrm- 
: 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
Examples of spongiform encephalopathy in a Sentence
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These included bacterial diseases like bovine tuberculosis and Q fever, viral diseases like Nipah virus and H5N1 avian influenza, and prion diseases like Bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
—
John Drake, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2021
These spongiform encephalopathies serve as a negative selection pressure against cannibalism.
—National Geographic, 19 Feb. 2017
By consuming meat from these cows, the spongiform encephalopathy disease was transmitted to humans.
—National Geographic, 19 Feb. 2017
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John Drake, Forbes, 12 Oct. 2021
These spongiform encephalopathies serve as a negative selection pressure against cannibalism.
—National Geographic, 19 Feb. 2017
By consuming meat from these cows, the spongiform encephalopathy disease was transmitted to humans.
—National Geographic, 19 Feb. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Spongiform encephalopathy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spongiform%20encephalopathy. Accessed 21 Jul. 2025.
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