grasserie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / TechnicalTechnical / Scientific (Entomology, Sericulture)
Quick answer
What does “grasserie” mean?
A fatal infectious disease of silkworms, characterized by softening and a glossy appearance.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A fatal infectious disease of silkworms, characterized by softening and a glossy appearance.
A disease of larval insects, particularly silkworms, caused by viruses and characterized by a glossy, liquefying disintegration of the body.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage between British and American English; the term is a technical borrowing in both.
Connotations
Purely technical/scientific; carries strong connotations of agriculture, pathology, and economic loss in silk farming.
Frequency
Extremely rare in general language. Usage is confined to historical texts on sericulture, entomology, or disease pathology.
Grammar
How to Use “grasserie” in a Sentence
The [NOUN: silkworms] contracted grasserie.Grasserie devastated the [NOUN: crop/colony].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “grasserie” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The entire batch of worms was grasseried.
- The larvae began to grasserie.
American English
- The colony grasseried within a week.
adverb
British English
- [Not applicable]
American English
- [Not applicable]
adjective
British English
- The grasserie-infected cocoons were worthless.
American English
- They identified a grasserie outbreak.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used only in the specific context of the silk industry to discuss threats to production.
Academic
Found in historical agricultural texts, entomology papers, and studies of insect virology.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation.
Technical
Primary context. Precise term for a specific viral disease in sericulture.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “grasserie”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “grasserie”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “grasserie”
- Misspelling as 'grasey' or 'grassary'. Using it to refer to human or general animal diseases.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, grasserie is a disease specific to insects, particularly silkworms (Bombyx mori). It is not zoonotic.
It is a loanword from French, used as a technical term in English within the very specific context of sericulture and entomology.
The infected silkworm larvae become soft, glossy, and oily in appearance before disintegrating.
Its usage is tied to the specialized, and now less common, industry of silk farming (sericulture). Most general speakers will never encounter it.
A fatal infectious disease of silkworms, characterized by softening and a glossy appearance.
Grasserie is usually technical / scientific (entomology, sericulture) in register.
Grasserie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈɡræsəri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈɡræsəri/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[None. The word is purely technical.]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of GRASS + SERIE (series). A 'series' of silkworms getting sick and turning into a glossy, greasy (gras) mess.
Conceptual Metaphor
[Not applicable for highly technical terms]
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'grasserie' primarily used?