scrapie

[ skrey-pee, skrap-ee ]

noun

, Veterinary Pathology.

1. a usually fatal brain disease of sheep, characterized by twitching of the neck and head, grinding of the teeth, and scraping of itching portions of skin against fixed objects with a subsequent loss of wool: thought to be caused by an infectious prion.

scrapie

/ ˈskreɪpɪ /

noun

1. a disease of sheep and goats: one of a group of diseases (including BSE in cattle) that are caused by a protein prion, and result in spongiform encephalopathy

scrapie

/ skrā′pē,skrăp′ē /

1. A usually fatal, infectious disease of sheep and goats that is marked by chronic itching, loss of muscular coordination, and progressive deterioration of the central nervous system, thought to be caused by a prion.

Word History and Origins

Origin of scrapie¹

First recorded in 1905–10; scrap(e) none + -ie none

Word History and Origins

Origin of scrapie¹

C20: from scrape + -ie