Definitions for "Mad cow disease"
see Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE)
Scientifically known as BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), where Bovine means "cow", spongiform means "sponge-like", and encephalopathy means "brain disease". A cattle disease that destroys the brain and can be fatal in people who eat infected beef. It is related to disease in humans called new variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (nvCJD).
a fatal disease of cattle that affects the central nervous system; causes staggering and agitation