murrain
Americannoun
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Veterinary Pathology. any of various diseases of cattle, as anthrax, foot-and-mouth disease, and Texas fever.
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Obsolete. a plague or pestilence.
noun
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any plaguelike disease in cattle
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a plague
Etymology
Origin of murrain
1300–50; Middle English moreine, moryne < Middle French morine a plague, equivalent to mor ( ir ) to die (≪ Latin morī ) + -ine -ine 2
Explanation
A livestock disease that passes from animal to animal is called a murrain. The distinctive thing about a murrain is that it spreads rapidly. A murrain is an epidemic that's limited to sheep and cattle, though the term is sometimes used to refer generally to a plague or other outbreak of disease. This uncommon noun comes from the Old French word morine, or "pestilence," which is probably rooted in mourir, "to die," from the Latin mori.
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.
Once again last week, as it had every year since 1911, Sweden's Taxeringskalender was proving a boon to the boastful, a murrain to the miserly and a surefire smash in the bookstalls.
From Time Magazine Archive
We read in Wuttke that some time ago the authorities of a Mecklenburg village ordered a “wild fire” to be lit against a murrain amongst the cattle.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 4 "Finland" to "Fleury, Andre" by Various
But a murrain on the foggy weather, which prevented us from catching a glimpse of the heights of Dover town!
From The Childrens' Story of the War, Volume 2 (of 10) From the Battle of Mons to the Fall of Antwerp. by James Edward Parrott
The murrain had not slain their cattle, nor the locusts devoured their land, nor the darkness obscured their dwellings.
From The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Exodus by G. A. Chadwick
Tin Egin was a forced fire or fire of necessity which cured the plague and murrain amongst cattle.
From Fishes, Flowers, and Fire as Elements and Deities in the Phallic Faiths and Worship of the Ancient Religions of Greece, Babylon, by Anonymous
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