anthracnose
|an-thra-cnose|
🇺🇸
/ˈænθrəˌnoʊz/
🇬🇧
/ˈænθrəˌnəʊz/
coal-like plant disease (black lesions)
Etymology
'anthracnose' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'ἀνθραξ (anthrax)' and 'νόσος (nosos)', where 'anthrax' meant 'coal' and 'nosos' meant 'disease'.
'anthracnose' entered English in the late 19th century via German 'Anthraknose' and French 'anthracnose', formed from Greek roots and adopted in botanical and pathological usage.
Initially it meant 'coal-like disease' (referring to the black, coal-like lesions); over time it came to denote specifically certain fungal diseases that produce dark, sunken lesions on plants.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a fungal disease of plants characterized by dark, often sunken lesions on leaves, stems, flowers, or fruit; caused by various fungi (e.g., Colletotrichum) and capable of causing defoliation, fruit rot, or reduced yields.
Anthracnose devastated the young trees, leaving many branches covered in black lesions.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/25 03:13