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foot-and-mouth disease

American  
[foot-n-mouth] / ˈfʊt nˈmaʊθ /

noun

Veterinary Pathology.
  1. an acute, contagious, febrile disease of cattle, hogs, sheep, and other hoofed animals, caused by any of various rhinoviruses and characterized by vesicular eruptions in the mouth and about the hoofs, teats, and udder.


foot-and-mouth disease British  

noun

  1. Technical name: contagious stomatitis.  Also called: hoof-and-mouth disease.   aphtha.   aphthous fever.  an acute highly infectious viral disease of cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats, characterized by the formation of vesicular eruptions in the mouth and on the feet, esp around the hoofs

"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

foot-and-mouth disease Scientific  
  1. A highly contagious disease of cattle and other hoofed animals caused by any of various viruses of the family Picornaviridae and the genus Aphthovirus , characterized by fever and the presence of blisters around the mouth and hooves.


Etymology

Origin of foot-and-mouth disease

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

But its endless expanses have been swept by panic since an outbreak of highly contagious foot-and-mouth disease, which was declared a national disaster in February.

From Barron's Mar. 13, 2026

Now, as the cows line up to be milked, workers check each one for symptoms of foot-and-mouth disease.

From BBC Feb. 19, 2026

Lula’s administration last month declared Brazil totally free of foot-and-mouth disease, saying it will request recognition from the World Organization for Animal Health in August.

From Seattle Times Jun. 3, 2024

While Indonesia’s foot-and-mouth disease outbreak poses no risk to humans, it does jeopardize Australia’s lucrative livestock industries.

From Washington Times Aug. 2, 2022

Alarming reports from different parts of the country announcing the presence of foot-and-mouth disease have caused no inconsiderable excitement among the people and in Government circles.

From Prairie Farmer, Vol. 56: No. 12, March 22, 1884 A Weekly Journal for the Farm, Orchard and Fireside by Various

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