infestation

[ in-fe-stey-shuhn ]

noun

1. the act of infesting; state of being infested.
2. a harassing or troublesome invasion:

   an infestation of ants.

Other Words From

• rein·fes·tation noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of infestation¹

1375–1425; late Middle English infestacio ( u ) n < Late Latin infestātiōn- (stem of infestātiō ). See infest, -ation

Example Sentences

Climate change itself will undermine the ability of forests to suck up and store carbon dioxide, as the risks of droughts, wildfires, and insect infestations grow with rising temperatures.

From MIT Technology Review

Fires, droughts, insect infestations, and shifting climate conditions will convert major parts of California’s forests into shrublands, according to a modeling study published in AGU Advances last week.

From MIT Technology Review

In 1953, a major California effort started to stamp out infestations of Khapra beetles and eventually preserved crop marketability.

From Science News

So for these microbe infestations, Nicastro says, “Now we have to consider the balance between positive and negative effects.”

From Science News For Students

Some companies recommend treatment when there is neither an active infestation nor a serious threat of one.

From Washington Post

Sure, water filter makers put a bit of bactericide in their products to tamp down the infestation.

From The Daily Beast

In addition to this mess, there was also an infestation of maggots.

From The Daily Beast

While covering a bird infestation, a reporter gets pooped on.

From The Daily Beast

Some American evangelicals export teen exorcists to the UK to fight the Harry Potter induced demonic infestation there.

From The Daily Beast

The apartment she was assigned to there had an infestation of cockroaches.

From The Daily Beast

On the Klamath National Forest some years ago about 900 acres were treated for insect infestation.

From Project Gutenberg

There are many administrative measures which are practiced on the National Forests, which aim to prevent insect infestation.

From Project Gutenberg

Only a few weeks ago we found a rather bad infestation in the vicinity of Tivoli.

From Project Gutenberg

No infestation had been noted in previous years, although in 1945 the crop was not harvested at all.

From Project Gutenberg

Superparasitism, sū-pėr-par′a-sīt-izm, n. the infestation of parasites by other parasites.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• contagion
• curse
• epidemic
• infection
• influenza
• invasion
• outbreak
• pandemic
• scourge