anthrax
|an-thrax|
/ˈænθræks/
black coal → black skin lesion / disease
Etymology
'anthrax' originates from Greek, specifically the word 'ἄνθραξ' (ánthrax), where it meant 'coal' (reflecting the black, coal-like appearance of certain skin lesions).
'anthrax' passed into Latin and Medieval Latin as 'anthrax' and then into Middle English; it originally referred to a carbuncle or coal-like sore and later came to denote the specific disease and the bacterium that causes it.
Initially, it meant 'coal' or a coal-like sore; over time the term evolved to refer specifically to the disease caused by Bacillus anthracis and to the bacterium itself.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a serious infectious disease caused by the bacterium Bacillus anthracis, which can affect the skin (cutaneous anthrax), lungs (inhalational anthrax), or intestines (gastrointestinal anthrax) and can be fatal if untreated.
Anthrax outbreaks among livestock can pose a serious risk to humans who handle infected animals.
Synonyms
Noun 2
the bacterium Bacillus anthracis itself (the causative agent of anthrax).
Researchers sequenced the genome of anthrax to better understand its virulence.
Noun 3
(archaic) A carbuncle or black, coal-like skin lesion; originally the word referred to 'coal' or a coal-like sore.
In older medical writings, the term 'anthrax' sometimes referred simply to a black skin lesion.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/08/25 13:26