[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/miasma/)

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# miasma

noun (a miasma, miasmas)

«miasma» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A cloud of bad-smelling, unhealthy air, such as the smell from rotting things or a swamp. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#m1)
2. (figurative) A heavy, unpleasant feeling that hangs over a place: «a miasma of gloom». [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#m2)
3. (history of science) The old wrong idea that diseases like cholera were caused by «bad air» (miasma), before germs were discovered. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#m3)

### In the lessons

In history and science lessons, «miasma theory» was believed until the 1800s; John Snow's work on cholera in London in 1854 and later germ theory (Pasteur, Koch) showed diseases are spread by germs, not smells. In stories, a miasma hangs over swamps, dungeons or sad places. Phrases: «a miasma of smoke», «miasma theory».

### Examples

- A miasma rose from the rotting swamp. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x1)
- People once blamed cholera on miasma, or bad air. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x2)
- John Snow showed that dirty water, not miasma, spread cholera. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x3)
- A miasma of cigarette smoke filled the old pub. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x4)
- A miasma of sadness hung over the empty house. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x5)
- Miasma theory was replaced by germ theory. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x6)
- The dragon's cave was full of a foul miasma. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x7)
- Florence Nightingale also believed in miasma, but her cleaning still saved lives. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/#x8)

### Note

Countable: one miasma, two miasmas. Pronounced «mee-AZ-ma» or «my-AZ-ma». Myth trap: bad smells do not cause diseases themselves; germs do (though rotting things can contain germs). Not a maths word.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «miasma» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/miasma/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«miasma» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/miasma.html) on Mova free.