yellow dragon disease

noun

: citrus greening

Citrus greening originated more than a century ago in China, where it was called huanglongbing, or “yellow dragon disease.” The bacteria that causes the disease clogs the flow of nutrients through the tree, turning the leaves yellow while the fruit remains green, lopsided, bitter and unusable.

—Ian Lovett, New York Times, 18 Apr. 2012

Word History

First Known Use

2001, in the meaning defined above

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