miasma

[ mahy-az-muh, mee- ]
/ maɪˈæz mə, mi- /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR miasma ON THESAURUS.COM

noun, plural mi·as·mas, mi·as·ma·ta [mahy-az-muh-tuh, mee-] /maɪˈæz mə tə, mi-/.

noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; poisonous effluvia or germs polluting the atmosphere.
a dangerous, foreboding, or deathlike influence or atmosphere.

Origin of miasma

1655–65; < New Latin < Greek míasma stain, pollution, akin to miaínein to pollute, stain

OTHER WORDS FROM miasma

Words nearby miasma

miao, miao-yao, miaou, miaow, miaskovsky, miasma, miass, miaul, miazine, mib, mic

Words related to miasmic

toxic, contagious, virulent, devastating, noxious, deadly, poisonous, malicious, harmful, nefarious, detrimental, dangerous, lethal, ruinous, destructive, damaging, communicable, corrupting, diseased, epidemic

Example sentences from the Web for miasmic

British Dictionary definitions for miasmic

miasma
/ (mɪˈæzmə) /

noun plural -mata (-mətə) or -mas

an unwholesome or oppressive atmosphere
pollution in the atmosphere, esp noxious vapours from decomposing organic matter

Derived forms of miasma

miasmal, miasmatic (ˌmiːəzˈmætɪk), miasmatical or miasmic, adjective

Word Origin for miasma

C17: New Latin, from Greek: defilement, from miainein to defile