Black Death

An outbreak of virulent plague, especially its bubonic form, that killed large numbers of people throughout Europe and much of Asia in the 14th century.

[Ultimately translation of Scandinavian terms for the bubonic plague, such as Swedish (den) svarta döden, (the) black death (possibly in reference to the dark lesions and gangrene caused by bubonic plague, or to the general gloom prevailing during epidemics ) : svart, black + död, death.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Black Death

(Historical Terms) the Black Death a form of bubonic plague pandemic in Europe and Asia during the 14th century, when it killed over 50 million people. See bubonic plague

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

Black′ Death′

an outbreak of bubonic plague that spread over Europe and Asia in the 14th century and killed an estimated quarter of the population.

[1815–25]

Black Death

A widespread epidemic of bubonic plague that occurred in several outbreaks between 1347 and 1400. It originated in Asia and then swept through Europe, where it killed about a third of the population.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Black Death

The name given to the form of bubonic plague that caused widespread death throughout Europe in the 14th century.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun

Black Death - the epidemic form of bubonic plague experienced during the Middle Ages when it killed nearly half the people of western Europe

Black Plague

bubonic plague, glandular plague, pestis bubonica - the most common form of the plague in humans; characterized by chills, prostration, delirium and the formation of buboes in the armpits and groin; does not spread from person to person

Translations

موت أسود

черна смърт

pesta Negra

den sorte død

Beulenpestschwarzer Tod

επιδημία πανούκλας η επιδημία της πνευμονικής πανώλους μαύρη πανώλη

peste negra

must surm

musta surma

peste noire

המוות השחור

doba kuge

Kematian Hitam

svarti dauði

peste nera

ペスト

흑사병

juodoji mirtis

melnā nāve

Zwarte Dood

svartedauden

czarna śmierć

peste negra

moartea neagră

чёрная смерть чёрный мор

mor

črna smrt

crna smrtцрна смрт

digerdöden

kara ölüm

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

Then came a terrible disease called the Black Death, slaying young and old, rich and poor, until nearly half the people in the land were dead.

View in context

'prentice to him at Lymington in the year of the Black Death. But who are you, young sir?"

View in context

Curses on your head, and black death on your heart, you imp!

View in context

The man who was immune to yellow fever was carried away by cholera; and if he were immune to that, too, the Black Death, which was the bubonic plague, swept him away.

View in context

Their groping efforts to better their condition received strong stimulus also from the ravages of the terrible Black Death, a pestilence which, sweeping off at its first visitation, in 1348, at least half the population, and on two later recurrences only smaller proportions, led to a scarcity of laborers and added strength to their demand for commutation of personal services by money-payments and for higher wages.

View in context

These were destroyed by their own hands and passed to the dank house of chill Hades, and left no name: terrible though they were, black Death seized them, and they left the bright light of the sun.

View in context

There was a black death in the 14th century but not this scale," he said.

AIDS envoy challenges delegates: UN's Lewis urges church leadership on pandemic

A former Durham University astronomy student has warned that a passing comet may have indirectly led to the Black Death.

Comet theory

Of particular note is his 1896 book The Black Death, which stitches together the historical event of the plague and folklore, its visuals sliding around some uneasy place between the innocence of children's book illustration and the sublime austerity of Caspar David Friedrich.

Banks Violette

Dyer shows how major events like the Black Death epidemic of 1348-50 and relatively minor events such as Nicholas Symond - a spurrier - demanding higher wages both have an impact on shaping modern Britain.

Life in the Middle Ages examined in new book

Consider that the worst catastrophe in Western history in the last thousand years, in terms of human mortality -- the bubonic plague pandemic in Europe, also known as the "Black Death" -- probably resulted from germ warfare.

Prescription for tyranny: Under the guise of dealing with health emergencies, proposed legislation would grant states totalitarian powers while actually hurting state sovereignty. (Health Care)