infestation
infestation Lexical Profile
infestation Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The presence of an unusually large number of insects, rodents, parasites, or other pests in a place or on a host, typically so as to cause damage, contamination, or disease.
"The historic library had to close for two weeks while specialists treated a severe beetle infestation in the timber beams."
Word Nuance & Usage
In medical and biological contexts, 'infestation' specifically refers to the presence of macroscopic external or internal parasites (such as lice, ticks, or tapeworms), whereas 'infection' refers to the invasion and multiplication of microscopic pathogens like bacteria, viruses, or fungi.
• Rhymes for infestation
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the early 16th century from Late Latin infestationem, a noun of action from Latin infestare ('to attack, assail, or trouble'), derived from infestus ('hostile, unsafe, or dangerous').