tobacco mosaic

noun

, Plant Pathology.

1. a disease of the nightshade family of plants, particularly tobacco and tomato, caused by the tobacco mosaic virus and characterized by mottled leaves and yellowed, necrotic plants.

Word History and Origins

Origin of tobacco mosaic¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

You, for instance, couldn't catch tobacco mosaic virus, and the tobacco plant can't catch the measles virus.

From Project Gutenberg