bots

[ bots ]

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. a disease affecting various mammals, especially horses, caused by the attachment of the parasitic larvae of botflies to the stomach of the host.

bots

/ bɒts /

noun

1. functioning as singular a digestive disease of horses and some other animals caused by the presence of botfly larvae in the stomach

Word History and Origins

Origin of bots¹

First recorded in 1780–90; plural of bot ²; -s ³

Example Sentences

One of Orson Pratt's horses is very sick, supposed to be the bots.

From Project Gutenberg

The committee also say that mules are not subject to such ailments as horses--spavin, glanders, ringbone, and bots.

From Project Gutenberg

Cows do die of bots sometimes hereabouts, after trespassing; but then you know they also die of a surfeit of wet clover.

From Project Gutenberg

The most important of these are bots and other larv or maggots of various flies (Diptera).

From Project Gutenberg

Mr Charles Danford presented me with several bots from an ibex.

From Project Gutenberg