noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/miˈæzmə/
Received-Pronunciation:/maɪˈæzmə/
US:mī-ăz'mə
US:mē- ăz'mə
US:/maɪˈæzmə/
US:/miˈæzmə/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -æzmə
homophone: my asthma
CMU ARPABET:M IY0 AE1 Z M AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:M AY0 AE1 Z M AH0
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A noxious atmosphere or emanation once thought to originate from swamps and waste, and to cause disease.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A noxious atmosphere or influence, an ominous environment.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
unhealthy vapors rising from the ground or other sources
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the miasma of the marshes
a miasma of cigar smoke
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: miasm
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: air pollution
4
noun
Meaning 4
an unwholesome atmosphere
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
the novel spun a miasma of death and decay
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: miasm
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: atmosphere, ambiance, ambience
History
Etymology
First attested in 1665. From Ancient Greek μίασμα (míasma, “stain; pollution”).
Across languages
Translations
49 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
изпарение
(izparenie)
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Chinese Mandarin:
瘴氣 /瘴气
(zhàngqì)
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Czech:
těžké/jedovaté výpary
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Dutch:
miasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Dutch:
miasme
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Dutch:
moerasdamp
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Finnish:
miasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Finnish:
paha ilma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
French:
miasme
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Italian:
miasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Norwegian Bokmål:
miasme
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Occitan:
miasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Polish:
wyziew
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Portuguese:
miasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Russian:
миа́зма
(miázma)
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Slovak:
miazma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Slovak:
nákazlivina
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Spanish:
miasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Turkish:
miyasma
— noxious emanation that originates from swamps and causes disease
Bulgarian:
миазма
(miazma)
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Catalan:
miasma
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Chinese Mandarin:
瘴氣 /瘴气
(zhàngqì)
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Czech:
tíživá atmosféra
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Dutch:
miasma
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Dutch:
miasme
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Dutch:
verpeste atmosfeer
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Finnish:
myrkyllinen ilmapiiri
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Finnish:
pahaenteinen tunnelma
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
French:
miasme
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Galician:
miasma
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
German:
Miasma
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Greek:
μίασμα
(míasma)
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Italian:
miasma
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Japanese:
瘴気
(shōki)
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
Japanese:
毒素
(dokuso)
— noxious atmosphere or influence; ominous environment
