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.

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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

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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.

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Etymology

Origin of foot-and-mouth disease

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

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

The UK has introduced a ban on pigs, sheep and cattle imports from Germany after a case of foot-and-mouth disease was confirmed in the country.

From BBC • Jan. 14, 2025

African swine fever, classical swine fever, Newcastle disease, foot-and-mouth disease, and swine vesicular disease are among ailments in Kenya that Customs cited as risks.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 5, 2023

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

The tape machine rattles out a report of an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in Surrey, and fresh orders relative to the passage of cattle through London.

From Scotland Yard The methods and organisation of the Metropolitan Police by Dilnot, George