mange
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of mange
1375–1425; late Middle English manjewe < Middle French mangeue an eating, itch, derivative of mangier to eat; see manger
Explanation
Mange is a skin disease caused by parasites. If your dog gets mange, she'll be very itchy and may develop some bald patches in her fur. Time for a trip to the vet. Mammals are vulnerable to mange, which they get when tiny mites embed themselves in their skin. While humans and plants can also be infected by mites, the resulting conditions have different names, including scabies in the case of people. Mange is generally only used for furry mammals including dogs, cats, horses, coyotes, and sheep. If an animal has mange, you can describe it as being (literally) mangy.
Vocabulary lists containing mange
Grendel
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The Stranger
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Ghost Squad
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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.
Experts say ranchers should be able to mange a resurgence of screwworm, but they will have to commit more hours to monitoring their animals.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
California wildlife officials also recently reported that the state’s southernmost wolf pack in Tulare County is suffering from sarcoptic mange, a disease caused by parasitic mites that can cause itchy skin lesions and hair loss.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 19, 2025
Billy Joel was grateful for her attention to his three-legged black pug; Cher, less so, after her rescue dog was diagnosed with sarcoptic mange, contagious between species.
From New York Times ● Jun. 19, 2024
She and colleagues came across dead rabbits and owls and an exam confirmed that one ground squirrel had died after consuming rodenticide, which makes predators such as coyotes and bobcats susceptible to mange.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 18, 2024
They hacked down trees in widening rings around their central halls and blistered the land with peasant huts and pigpen fences till the forest looked like an old dog dying of mange.
From "Grendel" by John Gardner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
