bubonic plague

noun

Pathology.

1. a serious, sometimes fatal, infection with the bacterial toxin Yersinia pestis, transmitted by fleas from infected rodents and characterized by high fever, weakness, and the formation of buboes, especially in the groin and armpits.

bubonic plague

noun

1. an acute infectious febrile disease characterized by chills, prostration, delirium, and formation of buboes: caused by the bite of a rat flea infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis See also plague

bubonic plague

1. A highly contagious disease, usually fatal, affecting the lymphatic system. The bubonic plague is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans by rat-borne fleas.

From 1347 to 1351, a disease known as the Black Death, similar to the bubonic plague, entered Europe from Asia and killed a large percentage of the population, sometimes wiping out entire towns. It caused widespread social changes in Europe.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bubonic plague¹

First recorded in 1885–90

Example Sentences

In July, an Arizona resident died of the pneumonic form of the plague, which can develop when bacteria spread to the lungs of a patient with untreated bubonic plague.

From Los Angeles Times

There are different forms of plague, such as bubonic plague, which is the most common and is caused by the bite of an infected flea.

From BBC

They carry parasites and diseases such as the bubonic plague, rabies and lyme disease that can be transmitted to people while feeding them.

From Los Angeles Times

And if you go, is the employee at checkout yawning because of fatigue or the bubonic plague?

From Los Angeles Times

That doesn’t include the cost of the diseases the animals spread, such as hantavirus, murine typhus and bubonic plague, nor the mental health toll of living among them.

From Los Angeles Times