miasma

miasma (mɪˈæzmə)

—n , pl -mata, -mas
1.	an unwholesome or oppressive atmosphere
2.	pollution in the atmosphere, esp noxious vapours from decomposing organic matter

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

mi'asmal

—*adj*

miasmatic

—*adj*

mias'matical

—*adj*

mi'asmic

—*adj*

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
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Word Origin & History

miasma

1665, from Gk. miasma (gen. miasmatos) "stain, pollution," related to miainein "to pollute," from PIE base *mei-/*mai- "to stain, defile" (cf. O.E. mal "stain, mark," see mole (1)).

Example sentences

Over time, a picture takes shape out of the miasma of secrecy.

The miasma of toxic stink leaves you gasping, breezes batter you with filth,

and even the rats look forlorn.

Suddenly the visitors were enveloped in a foul mist, a miasma reeking of

stinking fish, and worse.

However, the book soon descends into a miasma of poorly applied statistics.

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Related Words

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Matching Quote

"There is something about the literary life that repels me, all this desperate building of castles on cobwebs, the long-drawn acrimonious struggle to make something important which we all know will be gone forever in a few years, the miasma of failure which is to me almost as offensive as the cheap gaudiness of popular success."

-Raymond Chandler