blight
[ blahyt ]
/ blaɪt /
noun
Plant Pathology.
- the rapid and extensive discoloration, wilting, and death of plant tissues.
- a disease so characterized.
any cause of impairment, destruction, ruin, or frustration: Extravagance was the blight of the family.
the state or result of being blighted or deteriorated; dilapidation; decay: urban blight.
verb (used with object)
to cause to wither or decay; blast: Frost blighted the crops.
to destroy; ruin; frustrate: Illness blighted his hopes.
verb (used without object)
to suffer blight.
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Origin of blight
First recorded in 1605–15; of uncertain origin
OTHER WORDS FROM blight
blight·ing·ly, adverbun·blight·ed, adjectiveun·blight·ed·ly, adverbun·blight·ed·ness, nounWords nearby blight
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for blight
British Dictionary definitions for blight
blight
/ (blaɪt) /
noun
verb
Word Origin for blight
C17: perhaps related to Old English blǣce rash; compare bleach
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Scientific definitions for blight
blight
[ blīt ]
Any of numerous plant diseases that cause leaves, stems, fruits, and tissues to wither and die. Rust, mildew, and smut are blights.
The bacterium, fungus, or virus that causes such a disease.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.