1
: bad humor or temper
2
: a disordered or abnormal bodily state especially of quadruped mammals: such as
a
: a highly contagious virus disease of canines and especially of dogs that is caused by a morbillivirus (species Canine morbillivirus) and is marked by fever, leukopenia, and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms
called also canine distemper
b
c
1
: a process of painting in which the pigments are mixed with an emulsion of egg yolk, with size, or with white of egg as a vehicle and which is used for painting scenery and murals
2
a
: the paint or the prepared ground used in the distemper process
b
: a painting done in distemper
3
: any of various water-based paints
distempered; distempering; distempers
: to paint in or with distemper
Synonyms
Examples of distemper in a Sentence
Verb (1)
despite his career success, he has been distempered by nagging feelings of inadequacy his whole life
Noun (1)
contracted some tropical distemper while he was doing research in the jungles of Borneo
Recent Examples on the Web
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
What is distemper in dogs?Understanding the canine disease, symptoms and causes
Where is Fat Bear Week held?
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Beyond parasites, unattended poop may also be contaminated with canine or feline viruses, such as parvovirus, distemper virus and canine coronavirus, that can create life-threatening disease in other dogs and cats, especially in adult animals that are unvaccinated and puppies and kittens.
—Julia Wuerz, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2024
However, coyotes can contract rabies, distemper, parvo, heartworms and other diseases that can be passed to pets.
—Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distemper 
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Noun
Remember that raccoons can transmit rabies to people and pets and distemper to unvaccinated pets, so they should never be handled alive (or deceased).
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
What is distemper in dogs?Understanding the canine disease, symptoms and causes
Where is Fat Bear Week held?
—Anthony Robledo, USA TODAY, 2 Oct. 2024
Beyond parasites, unattended poop may also be contaminated with canine or feline viruses, such as parvovirus, distemper virus and canine coronavirus, that can create life-threatening disease in other dogs and cats, especially in adult animals that are unvaccinated and puppies and kittens.
—Julia Wuerz, The Conversation, 6 Feb. 2024
However, coyotes can contract rabies, distemper, parvo, heartworms and other diseases that can be passed to pets.
—Wilborn P. Nobles Iii, Axios, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for distemper
Dictionary Entries Near distemper
Cite this Entry
“Distemper.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/distemper. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
distemper
noun
dis·tem·per
dis-ˈtem-pər 
: a disordered or abnormal bodily state especially of quadruped mammals: as
a
: a highly contagious virus disease especially of dogs that is marked by fever, leukopenia, and respiratory, gastrointestinal, and neurological symptoms and that is caused by a paramyxovirus of the genus Morbillivirus (species Canine morbillivirus)
called also canine distemper
b
c
d
: a severe frequently fatal infectious nasopharyngeal inflammation of rabbits
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