Pestilence Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations
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pestilence
[ˈpɛs.tɪ.ləns ]
Definition
disease outbreak
Pestilence refers to a fatal epidemic disease, most commonly used to describe severe contagious diseases that have historically caused widespread mortality. It is often associated with plagues, such as the bubonic plague, which devastated populations in the past. The word embodies not only the physical affliction but also the social and psychological impacts it inflicts on societies. Pestilence has been a recurring theme in literature and history as a metaphor for both literal and figurative decay or corruption.
Synonyms
contagion, disease, epidemic, plague.
Examples of usage
- The town was struck by a terrible pestilence, leaving many dead.
- Pestilence swept through Europe in the 14th century.
- The story is set in a time of pestilence and despair.
Translations
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Origin of 'pestilence'
The term 'pestilence' originates from the Latin word 'pestilentia', which means 'a plague,' derived from 'pestilentem,' meaning 'infectious' or 'plague.' The root of the term can be traced back to 'pestis,' signifying 'plague' or 'destruction.' It has been used in various historical texts to describe outbreaks of disease that led to significant mortality, including the Black Death in the 14th century, which caused the death of a large portion of Europe's population. Over time, the usage of the word expanded to include not only severe diseases but also a general sense of something harmful or destructive. In modern contexts, pestilence is often used metaphorically to describe issues or phenomena that might not involve physical diseases but have a similarly detrimental impact on society, such as moral corruption or societal decay.