polyhedrosis

[ pol-ee-hee-droh-sis ]

noun

, plural pol·y·he·dro·ses [pol-ee-hee-, droh, -seez].

1. an often fatal disease of certain insect larvae or decapod crustaceans, caused by viruses containing double-stranded DNA.

Word History and Origins

Origin of polyhedrosis¹

First recorded in 1945–50; polyhedr(on) ( def ) + -osis ( def )