Added 10 October 2026
pestilence
/ˈpɛstələn(t)s/ noun
In Latin: pestis, luēs Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pestilence at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- Any epidemic disease that is highly contagious, infectious, virulent and devastating.
- Anything harmful to morals or public order.
Origin
From Middle English, from Old French, from Latin pestilentia (“plague”), from pestilens (“infected, unwholesome, noxious”); equivalent to pestilent + -ence.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)