Trichinosis
/ˌtrɪkɪˈnoʊsɪs/noun
A disease caused by infection with Trichinella roundworms, usually from undercooked meat.
Did you know?Trichinosis was named after the tiny spiraling worms seen in infected muscle tissue, and its scientific naming reflects the 19th-century discovery that invisible life could become a lethal force inside the body.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Gk
thrix, trikhos
“hair”
19th Century
Latinized Scientific
Trichina
“a genus name for the parasite, from its hairlike appearance”
19th Century
Latinized Scientific
trichinosis
“the disease caused by Trichina worms”
Modern English
English
trichinosis
“infection with Trichinella parasites, typically from eating undercooked pork or wild game”
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