French Conversation · Level 105
58 words
French word
peste
Pronunciation
IPA/pɛst/
Meaning
- feminine nounplague
Example
La peste est une maladie grave.
The plague is a serious disease.
More examples
Elle est une vraie peste avec les enfants.
She is a real pest with the children.
Core concept
A fast-spreading destructive force that harms a whole population, or a person seen as similarly harmful.
Common phrases
être une peste
be a real pest
Quelle peste !
What a pest!
Similar words
maladie: A general term for a disease affecting the body or mind.
épidémie: An outbreak of disease that spreads among many people in a short time.
pandémie: A disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents.
infection: A disease caused by pathogens entering and multiplying in the body.
Definition in French
Désigne une maladie contagieuse et souvent grave qui se propage rapidement au sein d'une population.
Word origin
French peste comes through Old French from Latin pestis, meaning a plague or harmful scourge.
Usage tips
- Peste is feminine: the disease is une peste, while une peste can also describe a particularly nasty person in informal usage.