bubonic plague

American  

noun

Pathology.

1. a serious, sometimes fatal, infection with the bacterial toxin Yersinia pestis, transmitted by fleas from infected rodents and characterized by high fever, weakness, and the formation of buboes, especially in the groin and armpits.

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bubonic plague British  

noun

1. an acute infectious febrile disease characterized by chills, prostration, delirium, and formation of buboes: caused by the bite of a rat flea infected with the bacterium Yersinia pestis See also plague

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bubonic plague Cultural  

1. A highly contagious disease, usually fatal, affecting the lymphatic system. The bubonic plague is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans by rat-borne fleas.

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Discover More

From 1347 to 1351, a disease known as the Black Death, similar to the bubonic plague, entered Europe from Asia and killed a large percentage of the population, sometimes wiping out entire towns. It caused widespread social changes in Europe.

Etymology

Origin of bubonic plague

First recorded in 1885–90

Compare meaning

How does bubonic-plague compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• bubonic plague vs. Black Death
• Black Plague vs. bubonic plague
• pneumonic plague vs. bubonic plague
• bubonic plague vs. coronavirus
• pneumonic vs. bubonic plague

Example Sentences

Bubonic plague is the most common type of plague, caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis, characterised by swollen lymph nodes called "buboes".

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2025

Bubonic plague — the kind contracted by the Oregon resident — happens when the plague bacteria gets into the lymph nodes.

From Seattle Times • Feb. 13, 2024

Bubonic plague is the most common form of plague, which can be fatal if not treated in time, according to the World Health Organization.

From Reuters • Aug. 13, 2023

Bubonic plague is transmitted by fleas, both those carried by rats and transmitted to humans, and on fleas exclusive to humans.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2020

Bubonic plague cannot be reformed; it is bad intrinsically and must be extirpated.

From The Subterranean Brotherhood by Hawthorne, Julian