I. |epəzə|wäd.ik, -zō|ä-, in sense 3 -|züd.- noun
( -s )
Etymology: epi- + zo- + -otic (from -otic, adjective suffix)
1. : an outbreak of epizootic disease
2. : an epizootic disease ; specifically : equine influenza
3. dialect : ailment , misery — often used in plural
he's not here today — must have the epizootics
II. adjective
of a disease : affecting many animals of one kind at the same time — compare epidemic
• ep·i·zo·ot·i·cal·ly -d.ə̇k(ə)lē adverb