Miasma (noun)
my-az-ma
a poisonous cloud of vapor produced by decaying organic matter.
Miasma derives from Ancient Greek míasma, meaning “pollution, stain.” The mías- element comes from the verb miaínein, “to pollute, stain,” while -ma is a common suffix that also appears in eczema, enigma, and stigma. Miasma was first recorded in English around 1660.
Example sentences
“The miasma from the swamp caught in his throat.”
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