leper

American  

[lep-er] / ˈlɛp ər /

noun

1. a person who has leprosy.

2. a person who has been rejected or ostracized for unacceptable behavior, opinions, character, or the like; anathema; outcast.

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leper British  

/ ˈlɛpə /

noun

1. a person who has leprosy

2. derogatory a person who is ignored or despised

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Usage

What does leper mean? Leper is a word for a person who has leprosy, an infectious skin disease.Leprosy causes bumps and wounds on and under the skin that gradually spread and can cause muscle weakness, nerve damage, and paralysis. If not treated effectively, it can result in the loss of body parts and eventually death.Leprosy is also called Hansen’s disease, which is the name preferred by many medical professionals. It’s caused by a kind of bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It can be cured with a treatment of antibiotics and other drugs.Cases of leprosy have been documented since ancient times. Due to its severe effects and contagiousness, many people who have had the disease throughout history have been stigmatized and treated as outcasts.Due to this stigma, the word leper came to be used in a more figurative way to mean an outcast or someone who is excluded, especially for behavior or opinions considered unacceptable, as in Ever since I expressed my opinion, I’ve been treated like a leper around here. However, both the figurative and literal senses of the word can be considered insensitive due to the fact that they can dehumanize those who have the disease. It is typically recommended to use a phrase like “a person with Hansen’s disease” instead of leper.

Etymology

Origin of leper

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English lepre “leprosy,” from Latin lepra, from Greek lépra, noun use of feminine of leprós “scaly,” akin to lépos “scale,” lépein “to peel”

Example Sentences

Distillers threw rotten fruit and molasses waste in the gallon to brew with ammonium chloride to produce something called “snake juice,” which was collected by lepers and taken around the city.

From Salon

Would my family have to hide me away like a leper?

From Literature

Modified chaulmoogra oil, based on the Ball Method, was distributed worldwide and helped free countless people from isolated leper colonies.

From New York Times

“People with AIDs were considered to be the lepers of the time,” Pieters said in a recent interview at his Silver Lake home.

From Los Angeles Times

“I was a leper, with a bell around my neck.”

From Literature