Affected by disease, decay, or damage that ruins something; or destroyed by a curse or misfortune that prevents something from developing properly.
From Middle English 'blight,' possibly related to Old English 'blæc' (pale or bleached) or Scandinavian roots meaning 'pallid.' Originally used for plant diseases, it expanded metaphorically to any ruinous influence on hopes or development.
Plant scientists discovered that blighted potatoes in 1840s Ireland caused a famine that killed a million people and sent another million emigrating to America—a single fungal disease that reshuffled world demographics forever.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.