fire blight

nounPlant Pathology.

a disease of pears, apples, quinces, etc., characterized by blossom, twig, and fruit blight and stem cankers, caused by a bacterium, Erwinia amylovora.

Origin of fire blight

First recorded in 1740–50; from the burnt look of the foliage

Words Nearby fire blight

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use fire blight in a sentence

As to the fire blight there has been absolutely none at this station the season just passed.
Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916 | Various
Mr. Andrews: If the ground is rich and under thorough cultivation it does tend to cause fire blight.
Trees, Fruits and Flowers of Minnesota, 1916 | Various
Ask your teacher to show you a case of fire-blight on a pear or apple tree.
Agriculture for Beginners | Charles William Burkett
I have a whole orchard of pears and there has never been a trace of fire-blight.
The Affable Stranger | Peter McArthur
Of course they had no reason to sue us because the damage was clearly done by fire-blight.
The Affable Stranger | Peter McArthur

British Dictionary definitions for fire blight

fire blight

noun

a disease of apples, pears, and similar fruit trees, caused by the bacterium Erwinia amylovora and characterized by blackening of the blossoms and leaves, and cankers on the branches

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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