pestilence

CEFRC1

/ˈpɛstələn(t)s/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    A serious disease that spreads among many people or animals.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    Anything harmful to morals or public order.

Examples

  • Many squandered their money on charms and amulets, thinking that would ward off the pestilence.

  • Tom doesn't know the difference between pastry and pestilence.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
4
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
2

Also pronounced

  • /ˈpɛstlən(t)s/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The personification of pestilence, often depicted riding a white horse.

  2. Any epidemic disease that is highly contagious, infectious, virulent and devastating.

More examples

In context

  • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XVII, Chapter iii, leaf 347r and hit was in the realme of Logrys and soo bifelle grete pestylence & grete harme to both Realmes "And it was in the realm of Logris; and so befell great pestilence and great harm to bo...

  • 1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur, Book XVII, Chapter iii, leaf 347r and hit was in the realme of Logrys and soo bifelle grete pestylence & grete harme to both Realmes "And it was in the realm of Logris; and so befell great pestilence and great harm to both realms."

  • Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The medieval town was devastated by a deadly blank that killed thousands of people.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pestilentia (“plague”), from pestilens (“infected, unwholesome, noxious”); equivalent to pestilent + -ence.