μίασμα

Ancient Greek

FWOTD – 18 October 2012

Etymology

From μιαίνω (miaínō, to stain) + -μα (-ma).

Pronunciation

 

Noun

μῐ́ασμᾰ (míasma) n (genitive μῐάσμᾰτος); third declension

  1. pollution, defilement
    • c. 2nd century bc, The Book of Judith, 9:4
      οἳ καὶ ἐζήλωσαν τὸν ζῆλόν σου καὶ ἐβδελύξαντο μίασμα αἵματος αὐτῶν καὶ ἐπεκαλέσαντό σε εἰς βοηθόν.
      And they were moved with thy zeal, and abhorred the pollution of their blood, and called upon thee for aid.
  2. shameful action, crime

Inflection

Descendants

  • English: miasma (borrowed)
  • French: miasme (borrowed)
  • Italian: miasma (borrowed)
  • Portuguese: miasma (borrowed)
  • Russian: миазмы (miazmy) (borrowed)
  • Spanish: miasma (borrowed)

Further reading

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