Definition

A viral disease that affects sheep and cattle, causing fever, mouth sores, and swelling of the lips and tongue, often spread by insect bites.

Example

The farmer was worried about the outbreak of bluetongue in his sheep.

Conversation

Did you hear about the bluetongue outbreak on the farm?

Yeah, it's really concerning for the sheep and cattle.

I hope they can find a way to control the bluetongue quickly.

Me too! It would be terrible if it spread further.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

The word 'bluetongue' is formed from 'blue' (from Old English 'blǣw', meaning the color blue) and 'tongue' (from Old English 'tunge', meaning the organ of taste and speech). The term 'bluetongue' refers to a disease in animals characterized by a blue discoloration of the tongue.

Memory Tip

Think of the color 'blue' and the organ 'tongue' to remember that 'bluetongue' describes a condition where the tongue turns blue.

Visually Confused Words