Definition

1. Noun:
   • A specific plant disease: Dutch elm disease is a serious fungal disease that affects elm trees. It is caused by a fungus and typically results in the wilting, yellowing, and eventual death of the tree by clogging its water-conducting vessels.

Usage and Examples

• Noun:
  • The beautiful elm trees lining the street were lost to Dutch elm disease.
  • Forestry officials are monitoring the spread of Dutch elm disease in the national park.
  • There is no known cure for an elm tree once it is infected with Dutch elm disease.

Advanced Usage

• "to be stricken with Dutch elm disease": to be infected by the disease.
  • The historic estate's grand elm was stricken with Dutch elm disease.
• "the spread/advance of Dutch elm disease": refers to the geographical progression of the disease.
  • Efforts to contain the spread of Dutch elm disease have been largely unsuccessful.

Variants and Related Words

• Elm bark beetle (n): A type of beetle that is the primary vector, carrying the fungus from tree to tree.
  • Controlling the elm bark beetle is key to managing Dutch elm disease.
• Fungal wilt (n): A general category of plant diseases, of which Dutch elm disease is a specific and notorious example.
  • Dutch elm disease is one of the most devastating fungal wilts.

Synonyms

• Elm disease: A less common, more general synonym.
• Ophiostoma wilt: The technical, scientific name for the disease, referring to the genus of the causative fungus ().

Related Phrases and Terms

• To succumb to Dutch elm disease: To die from the infection.
  • Most elms in the region succumbed to Dutch elm disease within a decade.
• Dutch elm disease management: The set of practices aimed at controlling the disease.
  • Sanitation, through the removal of infected wood, is a cornerstone of Dutch elm disease management.

Noun

1. disease of elms caused by a fungus