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horsepox

Intermediate (B1)

IPA: /ˈhɔːrspɒks/

KK: /ˈhɔrsˌpɑks/

noun
Definition

A skin disease that affects horses, causing pustules, and can be transmitted to cows, leading to cowpox.


Example

The veterinarian diagnosed the horse with horsepox after noticing the pustules on its skin.


Conversation
Sloth A
Did you hear about the outbreak of horsepox on the farm?
Sloth B
Yeah, I read it can be pretty serious for the horses.
Sloth A
I hope they can contain it before it spreads to the cows.
Sloth B
Same here! It's always concerning when animal diseases start showing up.

Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
pox
blister
eruption
Antonyms
health
wellness
cure
Root Explanation

Horpox is formed from "horse" (from Old English "hors", meaning a large domesticated animal used for riding and work) and "pox" (from Latin "pocca", meaning a disease or blemish). The word "horsepox" refers to a disease affecting horses, characterized by skin lesions or blemishes.

Memory Tip

Think of a 'horse' as the animal affected and 'pox' as the disease or blemish it has — that's why horsepox refers to a disease in horses.

Visually Confused Words

No commonly confused words.

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