miasma

n., pl., -mas, or -ma·ta (-mə-tə).

1. A noxious atmosphere or influence: "The family affection, the family expectations, seemed to permeate the atmosphere . . . like a coiling miasma" (Louis Auchincloss).
2. 1. A poisonous atmosphere formerly thought to rise from swamps and putrid matter and cause disease.
   2. A thick vaporous atmosphere or emanation: wreathed in a miasma of cigarette smoke.

[Greek, pollution, stain, from miainein, to pollute.]

miasmal mi·as'mal or mi'as·mat'ic (mī'əz-măt'ĭk) or mi·as'mic (-mĭk) adj.

Whew, something doesn't smell so good! New York Times columnist Frank Rich rapped President Bush for the continuing war in Iraq, which, Rich wrote, was a mistake from the start:

"It was in Cincinnati on Oct. 7, 2002, that Bush gave the fateful address that sped congressional ratification of the war just days later. The speech was a miasma of self-delusion, half-truths and hype."

Link: Someone tell the president the war is over

Posted August 16, 2005.

See our Word Overheard blog to see interesting uses of strange words.

Noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; the basis for an early concept of the origin of epidemics.

IN BRIEF: A vapor from a swamp. Also: A harmful influence.

One does not argue or contend with the foul miasma that settles over stagnant water; one leaves it and climbs to a higher region, where the air is pure and the sunshine fair. — Lillian Whiting.

Dansk (Danish)
n. - smittekim, miasme

Nederlands (Dutch)
wolk van viezigheid, corrumperende invloed, mist (ook figuurlijk)

Français (French)
n. - miasmes (sout)

Deutsch (German)
n. - Gestank

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - μίασμα, άγος

Italiano (Italian)
miasma

Português (Portuguese)
n. - miasma (m)

Русский (Russian)
вредные испарения

Español (Spanish)
n. - miasma

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - smittämne, utdunstning, töcken

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
毒气, 沼气

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 毒氣, 沼氣

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 독 기운, 좋지 않은 분위기

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 毒気, 悪い雰囲気, 悪影響

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) زنخه, زناخه‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮אדים רעילים (מיושן)‬

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