bubonic plague

noun

, Pathology.

a serious, sometimes fatal, infection with the bacterial toxin Yersinia pestis, transmitted by fleas from infected rodents and characterized by high fever, weakness, and the formation of buboes, especially in the groin and armpits.

bubonic plague

noun

an acute infectious febrile disease characterized by chills, prostration, delirium, and formation of buboes: caused by the bite of a rat flea infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis See also plague

bubonic plague

A highly contagious disease , usually fatal, affecting the lymphatic system . The bubonic plague is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans by rat-borne fleas.

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Notes

From 1347 to 1351, a disease known as the Black Death , similar to the bubonic plague, entered Europe from Asia and killed a large percentage of the population, sometimes wiping out entire towns. It caused widespread social changes in Europe.

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Word History and Origins

Origin of bubonic plague¹

First recorded in 1885–90

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