Black Death
noun[S]
uk/ˌblæk ˈdeθ/us/ˌblæk ˈdeθ/the Black Death
adiseasethatkilledanextremelylargenumberofpeopleinEuropeandAsiain the 14thcentury, usuallythoughtto be aformofbubonicplague, a veryinfectiousdiseasecausedbybacteriaspreadmainlybyfleas(=smallinsectsthatbite) onratsor otheranimals, thatcausesswelling,fever, and usuallydeathinhumans:
In the 14thcentury,cropfailures,war, and theonsetof theBlackDeathallreducedthepopulationby between ahalfand a third.
In theperiodfollowingtheBlackDeaththere was anacuteshortageoflabour.
- In thebookshe gives anintimateportraitof what it was like toliveanddieduring theBlackDeath.
- In thevisualarts, theBlackDeathinspireda newemphasison therealisticdepictionofhumansuffering.
- UntilAIDS, most of usthoughtofcatastrophicplagueslike theBlackDeathand the Spanish-fluepidemicof 1918 as things of the past.
Middle Ages (medieval Period) 501-1500
- alchemy
- Anglo-Saxon
- bestiary
- chivalrous
- chivalry
- crusade
- feudal
- Gothic
- medieval
- minstrel
- moor
- Moorish
- Romanesque
- saga
- Saxon
- serf
- serfdom
- the Middle Ages
- trebuchet
- troubadour
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Fevers & infectious diseases