miasma Definition
- 1a highly unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapor
- 2an oppressive or unpleasant atmosphere that surrounds or emanates from something
Using miasma: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "miasma" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
The miasma of rotting garbage filled the air.
Example
The political scandal created a miasma of distrust and suspicion.
Example
The swamp was covered in a thick miasma of mist and fog.
miasma Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with miasma
a discredited medical theory that held that diseases such as cholera, yellow fever, and the Black Death were caused by a miasma, or a poisonous vapor rising from decaying matter
Example
The miasma theory was widely accepted in the 19th century, but was eventually replaced by germ theory.
having the qualities of or resembling a miasma
Example
The miasmic stench of the landfill could be smelled for miles around.
plural form of miasma, referring to multiple noxious vapors or atmospheres
Example
The miasmata rising from the swamp made it difficult to breathe.
Origins of miasma
from Greek 'miainein', meaning 'to pollute'
Summary: miasma in Brief
The term 'miasma' [maɪˈæzmə] refers to an unpleasant smell or vapor, or an oppressive atmosphere that emanates from something. It can describe physical phenomena like rotting garbage or swampy mist, or metaphorical ones like political scandals. The term also has a historical medical context in the discredited 'miasma theory,' which held that diseases were caused by poisonous vapors.
