epizootic
/ɛpɪ.zəˈwɒtɪk/ noun, adjective
Forms epizootics epizoodic epizudic
- noun (epidemiology) An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a population of non-human animals at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period. “At the same time as an epidemic of the flu broke out among the people, an epizootic of the swine flu broke out among their pigs.”
- noun A particular epizootic disease.
- noun (dialectal, humorous, often in the plural) A disease or ailment (of humans). “Johnny's not doing so well today, I think he caught the epizootic.”
- adjective (epidemiology) Like or having to do with an epizootic: a widespread outbreak of disease among nonhuman animals.
- adjective (geology, rare) Containing fossils.
- adjective Relating to epizoa; epizoic.
- noun Dated spelling of epizootic.
Antonyms
Etymology
From French épizootique, animal equivalent of epidemic, from épizootie, irregularly formed from Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí) + ζῷον (zōîon, “animal”).
By surface analysis, epi- + zo- + -otic. Use of the word in the second sense, "an ailment", was likely originally a reference to a particular epizootic ailment. Both senses are attested since at least the 1800s, and the pronunciation with five syllables is explicitly attested since then as well. Dialectal pronunciation of the second sense with four syllables is attested since at least the 1910s in spellings like "epizudic" and is suggested by 1870s references to a shortened form of the word, "zooty".
From epi- + zoötic.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Of or pertaining to an epizoön.
- adjective Containing fossil remains; --said of rocks, formations, mountains, and the like. [Obs.]
- noun An epizoötic disease; a murrain; an epidemic influenza among horses.
Etymology [Cf. F. épizoötique.]
Etymology [F. épizoötie.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “epizootic”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details