Added 10 October 2026
epizootic
/ɛpɪ.zəˈwɒtɪk/ noun
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about epizootic at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
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An occurrence of a disease or disorder in a population of non-human animals at a frequency higher than that expected in a given time period.
At the same time as an epidemic of the flu broke out among the people, an epizootic of the swine flu broke out among their pigs.
- A particular epizootic disease.
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A disease or ailment (of humans).
Johnny's not doing so well today, I think he caught the epizootic.
adjective
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Like or having to do with an epizootic: a widespread outbreak of disease among nonhuman animals.
Epizootic plague occurred in the mice following introduction of rats from Europe.
- Containing fossils.
- Relating to epizoa; epizoic.
Origin
From French épizootique, animal equivalent of epidemic, from épizootie, irregularly formed from Ancient Greek ἐπί (epí) + ζῷον (zōîon, “animal”). By surface analysis, epi- + zo- + -otic. Use of the word in the second sense, "an ailment", was likely originally a reference to a particular epizootic ailment. Both senses are attested since at least the 1800s, and the pronunciation with five syllables is explicitly attested since then as well. Dialectal pronunciation of the second sense with four syllables is attested since at least the 1910s in spellings like "epizudic" and is suggested by 1870s references to a shortened form of the word, "zooty".
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)