Scrabble Bingo of the Day: MIASMIC

Scrabble Bingo of the Day: MIASMIC [adj]

Miasmic is an adjective for miasm (or miasma), which means a noxious vapor—"bad air" harmful to health. The word miasma comes from the ancient Greek word for pollution. And the concept of bad air also gave rise to the name malaria, from old Italian "mala" (bad) "aria" (air).

Before germs (bacteria and viruses) were discovered, the miasma theory took precedence as the cause of disease spread. Poisonous vapors were thought to have suspended particles of decaying matter and were characterized by a foul smell. Rapid industrialization and urbanization had created many poor, filthy, foul-smelling, and extremely crowded neighborhoods, which were considered the focal points of epidemics.

The pandemic Black Death (bubonic plague) that killed a large part of the population in Europe in the mid-1300s was thought to be caused by miasma. Other diseases thought to be caused by miasma in the past were cholera and chlamydia.

MIASM [n/pl.] -S miasma
MIASMA [n/pl.] -MAS or -MATA a noxious vapor MIASMATIC [adj]
MIASMAL [adj] pertaining to miasma
* MIASMATICAL [adj] containing or relating to miasma
* MIASMATOUS [adj] producing miasma
MIASMIC [adj] resembling miasma MIASMICALLY [adv]
MIASMOUS [adj] unwholesome