peste

plague

noun PES-teh Rare

Origin: From Latin pestis, 'plague, blight'.

Also means

pest

Usage Note

Peste refers to the bubonic plague historically (la Peste Nera — the Black Death) and to any pestilence. Colloquially it means a nuisance or pest, especially a mischievous child. Do not confuse with pesce (fish) — note the different vowel in the first syllable: PES-teh vs PEH-sheh.

Examples

"La peste devastò l'Europa nel Trecento."

Natural Translation

The plague devastated Europe in the fourteenth century.

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