Found 2 items, similar to anthrax.
English → English (WordNet) Definition: anthrax anthrax n 1: a highly infectious animal disease (especially cattle and sheep); it can be transmitted to people [syn: splenic fever ] 2: a disease of humans that is not communicable; caused by infection with Bacillus anthracis followed by septicemia 3: a species of Bacillus that causes anthrax in humans and in animals (cattle and swine and sheep and sheep and rabbits and mice and guinea pigs); can be used a bioweapon [syn: Bacillus anthracis ] [also: anthraces (pl)]
English → English (gcide) Definition: anthrax malignant \ma*lig"nant\, a. [L. malignans, -antis, p. pr. of malignare, malignari, to do or make maliciously. See Malign, and cf. Benignant.] 1. Disposed to do harm, inflict suffering, or cause distress; actuated by extreme malevolence or enmity; virulently inimical; bent on evil; malicious. [1913 Webster] A malignant and a turbaned Turk. --Shak. [1913 Webster] 2. Characterized or caused by evil intentions; pernicious. “Malignant care.” --Macaulay. [1913 Webster] Some malignant power upon my life. --Shak. [1913 Webster] Something deleterious and malignant as his touch. --Hawthorne. [1913 Webster] 3. (Med.) Tending to produce death; threatening a fatal issue; virulent; as, malignant diphtheria. [1913 Webster] Malignant pustule (Med.), a very contagious disease produced by infection of subcutaneous tissues with the bacterium Bacillus anthracis. It is transmitted to man from animals and is characterized by the formation, at the point of reception of the infection, of a vesicle or pustule which first enlarges and then breaks down into an unhealthy ulcer. It is marked by profound exhaustion and often fatal. The disease in animals is called charbon; in man it is called cutaneous anthrax, and formerly was sometimes called simply anthrax. [1913 Webster +PJC] Carbuncle \Car"bun*cle\, n. [L. carbunculus a little coal, a bright kind of precious stone, a kind of tumor, dim. of carbo coal: cf. F. carboncle. See Carbon.] [1913 Webster] 1. (Min.) A beautiful gem of a deep red color (with a mixture of scarlet) called by the Greeks anthrax; found in the East Indies. When held up to the sun, it loses its deep tinge, and becomes of the color of burning coal. The name belongs for the most part to ruby sapphire, though it has been also given to red spinel and garnet. [1913 Webster] 2. (Med.) A very painful acute local inflammation of the subcutaneous tissue, esp. of the trunk or back of the neck, characterized by brawny hardness of the affected parts, sloughing of the skin and deeper tissues, and marked constitutional depression. It differs from a boil in size, tendency to spread, and the absence of a central core, and is frequently fatal. It is also called anthrax. [1913 Webster] 3. (Her.) A charge or bearing supposed to represent the precious stone. It has eight scepters or staves radiating from a common center. Called also escarbuncle. [1913 Webster]