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plague

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The definition of a plague is a widespread disease that is deadly.

(noun)

An example of plague is the yellow feaver outbreak in New Orleans in 1852.

See plague in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

anything that afflicts or troubles; calamity; scourge
any contagious epidemic disease that is deadly; esp., bubonic plague
Informal a nuisance; annoyance
Bible any of various calamities sent down as divine punishment: Ex. 9:14, Num. 16:46

Origin: ME plage < MFr < L plaga, a blow, misfortune, in LL(Ec), plague < Gr plēgē, plaga < IE *plaga, a blow < base *plag-, to strike > flaw

transitive verb plagued, plaguing

to afflict with a plague
to vex; harass; trouble; torment

Related Forms:

plaguer noun

See plague in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A widespread affliction or calamity, especially one seen as divine retribution.
A sudden destructive influx or injurious outbreak: a plague of locusts; a plague of accidents.
A cause of annoyance; a nuisance: “the plague of social jabbering” (George Santayana).
a. A highly infectious, usually fatal, epidemic disease; a pestilence.
b. A highly fatal infectious disease that is caused by the bacterium Yersinia (syn. Pasturella ) pestis, is transmitted primarily by the bite of a rat flea, and occurs in bubonic, pneumonic, and septicemic forms.

transitive verb plagued plagued, plagu·ing, plagues

To pester or annoy persistently or incessantly. See Synonyms at harass.
To afflict with or as if with a disease or calamity: “Runaway inflation further plagued the wage- or salary-earner” (Edwin O. Reischauer).

Origin:

Origin: Middle English plage, blow, calamity, plague

Origin: , from Late Latin plāga

Origin: , from Latin, blow, wound; see plāk-² in Indo-European roots

Origin: . V., Middle English plaghen

Origin: , from Middle Dutch

Origin: , from plaghe, plague

Origin: , from Late Latin plāga

Related Forms: