blight

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˈblaɪt/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/blaɪt/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(blīt)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
blight /blaɪt/USA pronunciation   n. 
  1. Plant Diseases a disease of plants, in which there is loss of color and wilting:[uncountable]All my houseplants suffered from blight.
  2. Sociologythe state or result of ruin, difficulty, or damage: [uncountable]Crime and corruption are the beginnings of urban blight.[countable]pollution and war as blights on the planet.

v. [+ object]
  1. to cause to wither:The disease blighted all the elms and oaks.
  2. to destroy;
    ruin;
    frustrate: Illness blighted her hopes.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
blight  (blīt),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. Plant Diseases
    • the rapid and extensive discoloration, wilting, and death of plant tissues.
    • a disease so characterized.
  2. any cause of impairment, destruction, ruin, or frustration:Extravagance was the blight of the family.
  3. Sociologythe state or result of being blighted or deteriorated;
    dilapidation;
    decay:urban blight.

v.t. 
  1. to cause to wither or decay;
    blast:Frost blighted the crops.
  2. to destroy;
    ruin;
    frustrate:Illness blighted his hopes.

v.i. 
  1. to suffer blight.
  • of uncertain origin, originally 1605–15
blighting•ly, adv. 
    • 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged . curse, plague, scourge, bane.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
blight / blaɪt/
  1. any plant disease characterized by withering and shrivelling without rotting
  2. any factor, such as bacterial attack or air pollution, that causes the symptoms of blight in plants
  3. a person or thing that mars or prevents growth, improvement, or prosperity
  4. an ugly urban district
  1. to cause or suffer a blight
  2. (transitive) to frustrate or disappoint
  3. (transitive) to spoil; destroy
Etymology: 17th Century: perhaps related to Old English blǣce rash; compare bleach
'blight' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: [potato] blight, a [tree, plant] blighted by [fungus, an infestation], the [vines, potatoes] suffered blight, more...

Forum discussions with the word(s) "blight" in the title:


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