n. An acute, often fatal, contagious viral disease, chiefly of cattle, characterized by ulceration of the alimentary tract and resulting in diarrhea. [German : Rinder, genitive pl. of Rind, head of cattle, ox (from Middle High German rint, from Old High German hrind; see ker-1 in the Appendix of Indo-European roots) + Pest, plague (from Latin pestis).] |
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