Becoming septic and filled with pus; rotting or becoming increasingly bitter or malignant.
From Old French 'festre' meaning 'fistula', from Latin 'fistula' meaning 'pipe or reed'. The word evolved to describe wounds that develop infected, pus-filled channels, then metaphorically extended to describe emotional or social problems that worsen over time.
Festering brilliantly bridges medical and emotional vocabulary - we instinctively understand that untreated grievances literally behave like infected wounds, getting worse without attention. The word's harsh consonants and vowel progression mirror the ugly reality it describes.
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