mad-cow
UK[ˈmæd kaʊ]US[ˈmæd kaʊ]
n
A term for a cow affected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), a fatal neurological disease.
n
Used attributively to describe things related to or caused by this disease (e.g., mad-cow crisis).
Morpheme Breakdown
mad
cow
mad
adjective
cow
noun
Etymology
The compound term "mad-cow" is a modern English formation from the late 20th century, created to name a newly identified disease. The adjective "mad," with its Old English roots meaning "insane" or "rabid," is applied descriptively to the animal "cow," a word of ancient Germanic lineage. The logic is transparently literal, directly comparing the neurological symptoms and erratic behavior of infected cattle to madness. This vivid, colloquial compound entered widespread public use before the formal scientific name, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy, was commonly known.
Analysis
Structure: mad (adjective) + cow (noun)
mad: From Old English gemǣd(e)d (made insane), past participle of gemǣdan (to make insane). Functions as an adjective modifier.
cow: From Old English cū, of Germanic origin; related to other Germanic words for the animal. Functions as the core noun.
Examples
The outbreak of mad-cow disease devastated the British farming industry in the 1990s.
Strict regulations were implemented to prevent mad-cow infected beef from entering the food supply.
Public fear during the mad-cow crisis led to a dramatic drop in beef consumption.