Miasma meaning

mī-ăz'mə, mē-
The definition of miasma is steam rising from rotting vegetable or animal matter.

An example of miasma is vapor from a compost pile.

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A noxious atmosphere or influence.
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A vapor rising as from marshes or decomposing animal or vegetable matter: formerly supposed to poison and infect the air, causing malaria, etc.
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An unwholesome or befogging atmosphere, influence, etc.
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A noxious atmosphere or influence.
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A noxious atmosphere or emanation once thought to originate from swamps and waste to cause disease.
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Origin of miasma

  • Greek pollution, stain from miainein to pollute
    From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
  • First attested in 1665. From Ancient Greek μίασμα (miasma) (miasma) "stain, pollution".
    From Wiktionary

Miasma Sentence Examples

  • The old theory of paludism or of a noxious miasma exhaled from the ground is no longer necessary.

  • The unhealthiness of the city is chiefly due to want of proper drainage, impure drinkingwater, miasma from the disturbed rubbish heaps, and contaminated dust from the uncleansed roads and streets.

  • The water must in ritual washings run off in order to carry away the miasma or unseen demon of disease; and accordingly in baptism the early Christians used living or running water.

  • Early every norning the officiating priest proceeded to the holy of holies, tfter the preliminaries of purification had cleansed him from my miasma that might interfere with the efficacy of the rites.

  • Owing to the quantity of tannin they contain, no harmful miasma exhales from the Irish bogs.

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Words near miasma in the Dictionary