English · Word Candidate

plague

/pleɪɡ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: plagues · plaguing · plagued

Sense 1

Meaning · English

The bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Noun

Examples

It was about the beginning of September, 1664, that I, among the rest of my neighbours, heard in ordinary discourse that the plague was returned again in Holland[…] It mattered not from whence it came; but all agreed it was come into Holland again.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

An epidemic or pandemic caused by any pestilence, but especially that caused by the above disease.

Noun

Examples

Great plagues, such as the bubonic plague or smallpox or syphilis or influenza, can happen again.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

To harass, pester or annoy someone persistently or incessantly.

Verb

Examples

"Moreover," replied Congreve, "it was a sort of flattery to the duke. It showed that she valued the power of plaguing him more than her own fairest ornament. Flattery is the real secret by which a woman keeps her lover."

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

To afflict with a disease or other calamity.

Verb

Examples

Natural catastrophes plagued the colonists till they abandoned the pestilent marshland.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “plague” mean?

The bubonic plague, the pestilent disease caused by the virulent bacterium Yersinia pestis.

Is “plague” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.