plague English · revision 15202

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1382|origins=la plāga}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /pleɪɡ/; /plɛɡ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|plage]], [[bor|fro|plage]] and directly [[la-lat|plāga|t=affliction; pestilence]] (in the Vulgate),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) from [[la|plāga|t=stroke, blow, wound]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) probably related to [[m|la|plangō|t=to strike, beat the breast, lament]], the source of [[plaint]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and either borrowed from Doric [[grc|πλαγά|tr=plagá|t=blow]] or cognate with it.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) The root is [[ine-pro|*pleh₂k-|t=to strike]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A blow or wound, and an affliction or calamity, especially one sent by God: 1382, in the Wycliffe Bible, in the OED and Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word was used of the ten plagues of Egypt, which were mainly afflictions rather than diseases.^(Cresswell 2021) A malignant disease is from the early 15th century,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) an infectious epidemic with great mortality from 1548–9,^(OED 1989) and the plague, bubonic plague, from 1564.^(OED 1989) A nuisance or annoyance is from 1604.^(OED 1989) The verb, first to afflict with calamity, is from the late 15th century (Caxton, 1481),^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) probably via [[dum|plāghen]];^(Etymonline) to vex or bother is from the 1590s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1382 – a blow; a divine affliction.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * early 15th century – a disease.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1481 – to afflict (verb).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1548–9 – an epidemic.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1564 – the plague.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1594 – to pester.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A highly infectious, usually fatal [[epidemic]] disease, especially [[bubonic plague]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A widespread affliction or calamity, especially one seen as divine punishment.^(AHD)

+ # A sudden harmful outbreak or influx: ''a plague of locusts''.^(AHD)

+ # ''(informal)'' A cause of annoyance; a [[nuisance]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To pester or annoy persistently.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To afflict with or as if with a disease or calamity.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[plaguer]]

+ * [[antiplague]]

+ * [[plaguesome]]

+ * [[plaguey]]

+ * [[plaguy]]

+ * [[bubonic plague]]

+ * [[cattle plague]]

+ * [[pneumonic plague]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plaint]]

+ * [[complain]]

+ * [[plangent]]

+ * [[plankton]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}