pes·ti·lence

(pĕs′tə-ləns)

1. A usually fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.

2. A pernicious, evil influence or agent.

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.

pestilence

(ˈpɛstɪləns)

1. (Pathology)

a. any epidemic outbreak of a deadly and highly infectious disease, such as the plague

b. such a disease

2. an evil influence or idea

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

pes•ti•lence

(ˈpɛs tl əns)

n.

1. a deadly or virulent epidemic disease.

2. bubonic plague.

3. something regarded as harmful or destructive.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

Noun	1.	pestilence - a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal pest, pestis, plague epidemic disease - any infectious disease that develops and spreads rapidly to many people 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 plague pneumonia, pneumonic plague, pulmonic plague - a rapidly progressive and frequently fatal form of the plague that can spread through the air from person to person; characterized by lung involvement with chill, bloody expectoration and high fever septicemic plague - an especially dangerous and generally fatal form of the plague in which infecting organisms invade the bloodstream; does not spread from person to person
	2.	pestilence - any epidemic disease with a high death rate pest, plague epidemic disease - any infectious disease that develops and spreads rapidly to many people
	3.	pestilence - a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of; "racism is a pestilence at the heart of the nation"; "according to him, I was the canker in their midst" canker influence - a cognitive factor that tends to have an effect on what you do; "her wishes had a great influence on his thinking"

pestilence

noun plague, epidemic, visitation, pandemic areas where the pestilence had broken out

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

وَباء، طاعون

mor

pest

Epidemie Pest Seuche

peste

dögvész

plága, farsótt, drepsótt; svartidauîi

pestifero pestilenza

antkrytis

epidēmija, sērga

farsott pest sott

salgın ve öldürücü hastalık

瘟疫

pestilence

[ˈpestɪləns] N → pestilencia f, peste f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

pestilence

[ˈpɛstɪləns] n → peste f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

pestilence

n (old, liter) → Pest f, → Pestilenz f (old)

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

pestilence

[ˈpɛstɪl/əns] n → pestilenza

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

pestilence

(ˈpestiləns) noun

any type of deadly epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague.

Mentioned in

References in classic literature

It compelled rich and poor to feel themselves brethren then; and stalking to and fro across the Three Hills, with a fierceness which made it almost a new pestilence, there was that mighty conqueror--that scourge and horror of our forefathers--the Small-Pox!

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Through the struggle against Chaos, in the wake of the Famine, came now another old enemy of humanity-- the Pestilence, the Purple Death.

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It was the son of Jove and Leto; for he was angry with the king and sent a pestilence upon the host to plague the people, because the son of Atreus had dishonoured Chryses his priest.

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No pestilence had ever been so fatal, or so hideous.

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good heavens!" said an old woman among the spectators, "and that besides our having had a considerable pestilence last year, and that they say that the English are going to disembark in a company at Harfleur."

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Ever since the first settlement of the country this awful pestilence had come at intervals, and swept away multitudes of the inhabitants.

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a pestilence? Had the nation been swept out of existence?

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But now in this hateful age of ours not one is safe, not though some new labyrinth like that of Crete conceal and surround her; even there the pestilence of gallantry will make its way to them through chinks or on the air by the zeal of its accursed importunity, and, despite of all seclusion, lead them to ruin.

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See here," continued he, drawing forth a small bottle and holding it before their eyes, "in this bottle I hold the small-pox, safely corked up; I have but to draw the cork, and let loose the pestilence, to sweep man, woman, and child from the face of the earth."

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But the wars and triumphs of the King pressed hardly on the people of England, and ere his reign was over misery, pestilence, and famine filled the land.

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Come back to us before the Pestilence reaches you and lays you dead like the rest!"

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Rome was visited by a fearful pestilence. Gregory the Great urged

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