English Explanatory Dictionary

plague

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium Yersinia pestis.
  2. An epidemic or pandemic caused by any pestilence, but especially that caused by the above disease.
  3. A widespread affliction, calamity, or destructive influx, especially when seen as divine retribution.
  4. A grave nuisance, whatever greatly irritates.
  5. A group of common grackles.
verb
  1. To harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly.
  2. To afflict with a disease or other calamity.

Pronunciation

plāg /pleɪɡ/ [pʰl̥eɪɡ] /plɛɡ/ [pʰɫ̥ɛːɡ] en-us-plague.ogg

Word forms

plague plagues plaguing plagued

Etymology

From Middle English plage, borrowed from Old French plage, from Latin plāga (“blow, wound”), from plangō (“to strike”). Cognate with Middle Dutch plāghe (> Dutch plaag), plāghen (> Dutch plagen); Middle Low German plāge; Middle High German plāge, pflāge (> German Plage); plāgen (> German plagen); Swedish plåga; French plaie, Occitan plaga. Doublet of plaga. Displaced native Old English wōl.

Synonyms

pest pestilence murrain badger harry hound bait bedevil beleaguer persecute bug devil beset chevy give someone grief harass pester pick at plague vex scourge torment

Derived words

antiplague Australian plague locust avoid like the plague be at the plague beplague bioplague bird plague Black Plague bubonic plague capacitor plague cattle plague fowl plague gay plague hog plague Kansas horse plague nonplague Pahvant Valley plague pig plague plague bird plague cross plague doctor plagueful plagueless plaguelike plaguer plague rat plague-ridden plague soldier beetle plaguesome plague spot plague water plaguey plaguy plaguish pneumonic plague purple plague red plague Siberian plague stallion plague superplague the plague white plague plagued
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