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Fester

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fester¹

  • /ˈfɛstə/ British, Northern England, UK, Southern, Standard, Wales
  • /ˈfɛstɚ/ US
  • /ˈfestə/ Australia, New Zealand
  • [ˈfestə] ~ [ˈfe̞stə] Australia
  • [ˈfe̝stə] ~ [ˈfɪstə] New Zealand
  • /ˈfɛstəɾ/ Scotland

Rhymes with -ɛstə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

Inherited from Middle English festre, festur, borrowed from Old French festre (cognate with Italian fistola, Occitan fistola, Spanish fístula), from Latin fistula. The verb is derived from the noun, while the “condition of something that festers” noun sense is derived from the verb. Doublet of fistula.

noun festers

  1. obsolete A fistula.
  2. A sore or an ulcer of the skin. The larger the Spider, the warmer the climate or season of the year, and the more susceptible the wounded individual, so much worse will the effects be; and it is no therefore no wonder that people who would have a fester from a simple prick with a needle, should feel more violent effects from the b
  3. The condition of something that festers; a festering; a festerment.

verb festers · festering · festered

  1. intransitive To become septic; to become rotten. and she for the despyte of her sones dethe wrought by her subtyl craftes that syr Vrre shold neuer be hole but euer his woundes shold one tyme feyster & another tyme blede "and she, for the despite of her son’s death, wrought by her subtle crafts that Sir Urre should never be whole, but ever his wou
  2. figuratively, intransitive To worsen, especially due to lack of attention. Deal with the problem immediately; do not let it fester.
  3. transitive To cause to fester or rankle. For which I burnt in inward sweltring hate, / And festred rankling malice in my breast, / Till I might belke revenge upon his eyes: […]

Fester²

Where it comes from

Borrowed from German Fester.

proper noun Festers

  1. A surname from German.

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