plaga

plague

noun PLAH-gah Rare

Origin: Latin plaga (blow, wound, region).

Also means

pest

Usage Note

Plaga covers both a biblical or historical plague (las diez plagas) and a modern infestation of insects or pests (una plaga de langostas). In everyday Spanish it also refers informally to any overwhelming nuisance: una plaga de turistas. It is distinct from epidemia (epidemic), which is reserved for human disease.

Examples

"La plaga de insectos destruyó la cosecha."

Natural Translation

The insect plague destroyed the harvest.

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