A plant disease that causes rapid deterioration and death, or any condition that damages or spoils something. As a verb, to harm or destroy, especially gradually.
Origin uncertain, possibly from Old English 'blīce' meaning pale or wan, or related to 'bleach'. First recorded in the 17th century specifically referring to plant diseases. The figurative sense of general deterioration developed alongside the agricultural meaning, reflecting how crop failures affected entire communities.
Blight perfectly captures how language mirrors human experience - we took a word describing crop disease and extended it to urban decay, social problems, and personal disappointments because the concept of gradual, devastating deterioration is universal. The Irish Potato Famine, caused by potato blight, shows how this seemingly simple plant disease can reshape entire cultures and populations.
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