Meanings
nosema disease1
plural nosema diseases · alternative Nosema-disease · alternative Nosema disease
- uncountableusuallymedicineAn infectious disease of some insects caused by some microsporidian parasites of the genus Nosema.
- uncountableusuallyhoney beesmedicineAn infectious disease of adult honey bees caused by microsporidian parasites, such as Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae.
Nosema Disease of the Honeybee¶ (Microsporidiosis, or Nosemosis, of the Honeybee)¶ Nosema disease of the honeybee, Apis mellifera Linn., is caused by Nosema apis Zander, a microsporidian parasite of the intestinal epithelium of adult bees.
1949, Edward A. Steinhaus, Principles of insect pathology, New York: McGraw-Hill, →OCLC, page 602Synonyms: Isle of Wight disease, nosemosis
Nosema disease2
plural Nosema diseases
- uncountableusuallyAlternative letter-case form of nosema disease (“infectious disease of some insects caused by some microsporidian parasites”).
For quotations using this term, see Citations:Nosema disease.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounAn infectious disease of adult honey bees caused by microsporidian parasites, such as Nosema apis and Nosema ceranae.
disease of insects
Origin
- GermanNosemaseuche
- translingualNosema“a taxonomic genus within the family Nosematidae”
- Englishnosema disease
1909, translingual Nosema (“a taxonomic genus within the family Nosematidae”) + disease; a calque of German Nosemaseuche, coined from Nosema + Seuche (“epidemic, pestilence”).
More words from translingual, German
Full word history & related roots →Translations
German Nosemaseuche
- Nosemaseuchedisease of honey bees
Cite this entry
nosema disease. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nosema%20disease
“nosema disease.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nosema%20disease. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “nosema disease,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/nosema%20disease.
Source: nosema disease on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.