pebrine

American  

[pey-breen] / peɪˈbrin /

noun

1. an infectious disease of silkworms, characterized by a black spotting of the integument and by stunted growth, caused by the protozoan Nosema bomycis.

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Etymology

Origin of pebrine

1865–70; < French < Provençal pebrino literally, peppery, with reference to the black spots. See pepper, -ine ¹

Example Sentences

In 1849 a strange disease, called pebrine, broke out among the worms; they were unable to moult and died before the cocoons were spun.

From Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 6 A series of pen and pencil sketches of the lives of more than 200 of the most prominent personages in History by Horne, Charles F. (Charles Francis)

The most fatal and wide-spread disease, and one which since 1854 has threatened the extermination of silk worms in Europe, is the pebrine.

From Our Common Insects A Popular Account of the Insects of Our Fields, Forests, Gardens and Houses by Packard, A. S. (Alpheus Spring)

As a consequence pebrine and flacherie played such havoc that many people were beginning to abandon silkworm rearing and uproot their mulberry trees.

From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William

It may here be mentioned that the famous French cream-coloured race took seventy-five years to become fully established owing to the widespread damage caused by pebrine and, to a lesser extent, by flacherie.

From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William

Thanks, however, to the Pasteur system, whereby pebrine and other silkworm diseases have been brought under complete control, the industry both here and elsewhere was not only saved but has been considerably developed.

From Notes on Agriculture in Cyprus and Its Products by Bevan, William