Dictionary

miasma en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /miˈæzmə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /miˈæzmə/
• /maɪˈæzmə/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /maɪˈæzmə/
• /ˌmiːəzˈmæ/ (UK)
• mī-ăz′mə
• mī-ăz'mə (US)
• mē- ăz'mə (US)
• mē-ăz′mə
• /mɪˈæzmə/ (UK)

Etymology

First attested in 1665. From Ancient Greek μίασμα (míasma, “stain; pollution”).

Meanings

1. A noxious atmosphere or emanation once thought to originate from swamps and waste, and to cause disease.
   • There was an earthy smell, as of some dry miasma, which came through the fouler air. 1897, Bram Stoker, “Jonathan Harker’s Journal”, in Dracula, New York, N.Y.: Modern Library, →OCLC, chapter XIX, page 276:
2. (figuratively) A noxious atmosphere or influence, an ominous environment.
   • In 1883, the contract came up for renewal, the L.N.W.R. received it, and the City of Dublin Steam Packet Company was set aside. But there was a certain miasma of secrecy about the affair, so that many, especially in Ireland, looked for information and insisted on getting it. 1960 May 14, K. A. Murray, “Carlisle Pier, Dun Laoghaire”, in Railway Magazine, page 305:
   • It was into this lossy compression miasma that aptX was born. 2020 September 15, Geoffrey Morrison, “aptX: Everything you need to know about the wireless Bluetooth enhancement”, in CNET:

Forms

Deriveds

miasmic · miasmatism · miasmous · miasmal · miasm · miasmology · miasmalike

Relateds

malaria · miasmatic

Translations (49)

de Miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · fi pahaenteinen tunnelma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · es miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · ru миа́зма (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · km ជាបរិយាកាសដែលធ្វើឲ្យខូច (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · nl miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · it miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · ko 장독 (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · pt miasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · cs těžké/jedovaté výpary (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · fr miasme (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · ru миа́зм (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · el μίασμα (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · nl miasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · ro miasmă (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · nb miasme (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · cmn 瘴氣 /瘴气 (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · nl moerasdamp (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · sk miazma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · ko 장기 (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · fi myrkyllinen ilmapiiri (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · nl verpeste atmosfeer (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · tr miyasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · tr miyasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · it miasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · pl wyziew (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · fi miasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · ja 毒素 (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · fr miasme (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · oc miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · bg изпарение (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · es miasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · sk miazma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · fi paha ilma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · nl miasme (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · ja 瘴気 (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · ru миа́зма (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · ca miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · cs tíživá atmosféra (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · vi chướng khí (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · nb miasme (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · nl miasme (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · bg миазма (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · sk nákazlivina (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · oc miasma (noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease) · gl miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · pt miasma (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · cmn 瘴氣 /瘴气 (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment) · pl miazmat (noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment)