murrain: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Very rare/ArchaicLiterary, archaic, historical
Quick answer
What does “murrain” mean?
A highly infectious and often fatal disease affecting cattle, particularly plague or pestilence in livestock.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A highly infectious and often fatal disease affecting cattle, particularly plague or pestilence in livestock.
An archaic term for any plague, pestilence, or curse; used figuratively to denote a destructive affliction or a source of great trouble.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Equally archaic and rare in both varieties. No significant dialectal difference in usage.
Connotations
Carries strong historical, biblical, or Shakespearean connotations in both regions.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in contemporary usage for both. May be marginally more recognized in UK due to slightly higher exposure to historical/literary texts in general education, but this is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “murrain” in a Sentence
[Murrain] + [verb] + [livestock/place] (The murrain devastated the herd)A murrain on/upon [someone/something] (curse idiom)[Subject] + be + plagued by murrainVocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used only in historical, agricultural history, or literary analysis contexts.
Everyday
Not used in contemporary everyday speech.
Technical
Obsolete in modern veterinary medicine; replaced by specific disease names.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “murrain”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “murrain”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “murrain”
- Misspelling as 'murian' or 'murrein'.
- Using it as a contemporary synonym for a minor ailment.
- Mispronouncing the first syllable to rhyme with 'pure' (/mjʊə/) instead of 'mud' (/mʌ/ or /mɜː/).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is an archaic term. Modern farmers and veterinarians use specific disease names like 'rinderpest', 'foot-and-mouth disease', or 'bovine tuberculosis'.
Primarily in classic English literature (e.g., Shakespeare), historical documents, and older translations of the Bible (Exodus 9:3).
Originally specific to livestock, it was later used figuratively for human plagues or curses, but this is purely literary/archaic.
Perhaps its use in the King James Bible (1611): '...the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field... with a very grievous murrain.' (Exodus 9:3) and in Shakespeare's plays as a curse.
A highly infectious and often fatal disease affecting cattle, particularly plague or pestilence in livestock.
Murrain is usually literary, archaic, historical in register.
Murrain: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmʌr.ɪn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɜːr.ɪn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A murrain on you/them/it!”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'MURrain' like a plague that makes you MURmur 'oh no' as your cattle die.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE IS A CURSE / CALAMITY IS A PLAGUE
Practice
Quiz
In which context would the word 'murrain' be LEAST appropriate?