anthracnose: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very lowTechnical/Scientific
Quick answer
What does “anthracnose” mean?
A plant disease causing dark, sunken lesions, typically on leaves, stems, or fruit.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A plant disease causing dark, sunken lesions, typically on leaves, stems, or fruit.
Any of various destructive plant diseases caused by imperfect fungi of the genera Colletotrichum, Gloeosporium, or related genera, characterised by limited necrotic lesions.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical or definitional differences. Spelling is identical. Both varieties use the same technical term.
Connotations
Purely technical/negative (associated with crop damage and loss). No cultural connotations.
Frequency
Equally rare in both varieties, confined to agricultural, botanical, horticultural, and mycological contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “anthracnose” in a Sentence
[Plant/ Crop] + has/develops/suffers from + anthracnoseAnthracnose + affects/infects + [plant species]To control/combat/treat + anthracnoseVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “anthracnose” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The beans were severely anthracnosed by late summer.
- Wet weather can cause cassava to anthracnose.
American English
- The sycamore trees anthracnosed early this season.
- The fungus anthracnoses the fruit under humid conditions.
adjective
British English
- Anthracnose-infected leaves should be removed and burnt.
- They noted the anthracnose-like spotting on the stems.
American English
- The anthracnose-affected mango crop was a total loss.
- We observed anthracnose symptoms on the lower foliage.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in agribusiness reports concerning crop yields, pesticide sales, and loss assessments.
Academic
Common in botany, plant pathology, mycology, agriculture, and horticulture research papers and textbooks.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside of gardening enthusiasts or farmers.
Technical
The primary register. Precise term in plant pathology reports, agricultural extension guides, and fungicide labels.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “anthracnose”
- Misspelling as 'anthracnos', 'anthracnose' (misplaced 'e').
- Using as a countable noun (e.g., 'an anthracnose').
- Confusing it with 'anthrax', a completely different bacterial disease affecting animals/humans.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, anthracnose is a plant-specific disease caused by fungi that are not pathogenic to humans.
No, they are completely different. Anthrax is a serious bacterial infection of animals and humans, while anthracnose is a fungal disease of plants.
In British English, it is /ˈænθrəkˌnəʊz/ (AN-thruhk-nohz). In American English, it is /ænˈθrækˌnoʊz/ (an-THRAK-nohz).
The main symptom is the appearance of dark, sunken, often circular lesions or spots on leaves, stems, flowers, or fruit.
A plant disease causing dark, sunken lesions, typically on leaves, stems, or fruit.
Anthracnose is usually technical/scientific in register.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'ANTHRAC-' (like anthracite coal, which is black) + '-NOSE' (as if the disease is 'nosing' into the plant). The disease causes dark, coal-like spots on the plant.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS AN INVADER / DISEASE IS A SPOT / THE PLANT IS A BATTLEFIELD.
Practice
Quiz
Anthracnose is primarily a disease of: