Word of the Day: zoonotic

The word zoonotic has appeared in 18 articles on NYTimes.com in the past year, including on Aug. 22 in “‘Don’t Kiss or Snuggle Your Turtle,’ C.D.C. Warns Amid Salmonella Outbreak” by Eduardo Medina:

In 2002, an Oklahoma man who caught a salmonella infection from his pet snake passed the illness to two people through transfusions of his blood platelets. Both recipients became ill, and one died, according to an article in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Even dog owners are not spared of the dangers of cuddling. Some bacteria in dogs’ mouths are zoonotic, meaning the animals can pass them to humans and cause disease, including salmonella.

Daily Word Challenge

Can you correctly use the word zoonotic in a sentence?

Based on the definition and example provided, write a sentence using today’s Word of the Day and share it as a comment on this article. It is most important that your sentence makes sense and demonstrates that you understand the word’s definition, but we also encourage you to be creative and have fun.

Then, read some of the other sentences students have submitted and use the “Recommend” button to vote for two original sentences that stand out to you.

If you want a better idea of how zoonotic can be used in a sentence, read these usage examples on Vocabulary.com.

Students ages 13 and older in the United States and the United Kingdom, and 16 and older elsewhere, can comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff.

The Word of the Day is provided by Vocabulary.com. Learn more and see usage examples across a range of subjects in the Vocabulary.com Dictionary. See every Word of the Day in this column.