/ miˈæzmə; NAmE ; maɪˈæ-/ noun
[ C , usually sing. , U ] ( literary ) a mass of air that is dirty and smells unpleasant :
A miasma of stale alcohol hung around him.
( figurative )
the miasma of depression
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent.: from Greek , literally defilement , from miainein pollute.