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murrain (MUR-in) - n., any of several highly infectious diseases in cattle, such as anthrax.
Essentially, cattle plague of any sort. Now arch. if not outright obs. First appears in the early 14th century, from Anglo-French moryn/mourine/moreyn, from Old French moraine, pestilence, probably from either mourir, to die, or Medieval Latin morticinium, pestilence from Latin mori, death.
Gustave Doré's illustration of the fifth plague visited upon the Egyptians, for which murrain is as good a word as any:
Thanks, WikiMedia!
---L.
Essentially, cattle plague of any sort. Now arch. if not outright obs. First appears in the early 14th century, from Anglo-French moryn/mourine/moreyn, from Old French moraine, pestilence, probably from either mourir, to die, or Medieval Latin morticinium, pestilence from Latin mori, death.
Gustave Doré's illustration of the fifth plague visited upon the Egyptians, for which murrain is as good a word as any:
Thanks, WikiMedia!
---L.
