Wiktionary:Word of the day/2024/December 12

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murrain n

(archaic, uncountable) Infectious disease; pestilence, plague; (countable) sometimes used in curses such as a murrain on someone: an outbreak of such a disease; a plague. (countable, figurative, archaic) A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution; a plague. (countable, veterinary medicine, chiefly historical) Any of several highly infectious diseases of cattle or other livestock, such as anthrax, babesiosis, or rinderpest; or a particular epizootic thereof; also, an infectious disease affecting other animals, such as poultry. (countable, by extension, phytopathology) An infectious disease affecting plants. (obsolete) (countable) A poor-quality green-salted animal hide. (uncountable) Death, especially from an infectious disease. (uncountable) Rotting flesh, especially of an animal which has died from a disease; carrion. murrain adj (figurative, obsolete) Disgusting or offensive, as if having an infectious disease; despicable, contemptible, loathsome, plaguey. Used as an intensifier: to a great extent; extreme, intense. murrain adv (figurative, obsolete) Used as an intensifier: extremely, very. Today is International Universal Health Coverage Day, which is recognized by the United Nations to emphasize that everybody should have access to good quality, affordable health care. On this day in 2012, the United Nations General Assembly endorsed a resolution encouraging countries to strive towards universal health coverage.

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