miasma

miasma Definition

mi·asma (mī az′mə, mē-)

noun pl. -·mas or -·mata--mə tə

a vapor rising as from marshes or decomposing animal or vegetable matter, formerly supposed to poison and infect the air, causing malaria, etc.
an unwholesome or befogging atmosphere, influence, etc.

Etymology: ModL < Gr, pollution < miainein, to pollute < IE base *mai- > OE mal, a spot

miasma Related Forms

mi·as′·mal adjective or mi′·as·mat′ic--mat′ik or mi·as′·mic

miasma Synonyms

miasma Usage Examples

Preposition: of

lender: You had to uk non status morgages quotes shop around and sort through the miasma of the mortgage lenders ' jargon.
despair: Miasma of despair What, then, is to be done?
corruption: Accounting firms like Arthur Anderson were caught up in the miasma of corruption and falsified the books to keep the bubble going.
mystery: Enron fell apart when its true numbers emerged from a miasma of mystery.
smoke: A miasma of evil smoke can almost be imagined to be coming from the accursed nail!

Adjective modifier

moral: When they are five or six they are driven into the public school to infect it with the moral miasma of their lairs.

Modifies a noun

stream: While it does offer freedom, it is often very limited due to miasma streams that deny you access to parts of the map.

Noun used with modifier

fx: Page 11 1 [ The miasma passes around Kouga, who covers his mouth. ] fx miasma shhh... Kouga Ugh!

Browse dictionary entries near miasma