miasma: Meaning and Definition of

mi•as•ma

Pronunciation: (mī-az'mu, mē-), [key]
— pl. -mas, -ma•ta
  1. noxious exhalations from putrescent organic matter; poisonous effluvia or germs polluting the atmosphere.
  2. a dangerous, foreboding, or deathlike influence or atmosphere.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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