Fester comes from Latin fistula, meaning "pipe" or "fistulous ulcer." Fistula, in English, refers to an abnormal passage leading from an abscess or hollow organ and permitting passage of fluids or secretions. The word's use as a verb meaning "to generate pus" influenced its use as a word implying a worsening state.
Verb His wounds festered for days before he got medical attention. His feelings of resentment have festered for years. We should deal with these problems now instead of allowing them to fester. Noun pus oozed out of the fester
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Most suspect work is left to fester in the literature. David Robert Grimes, The Atlantic, 29 July 2022 Ethical complaints fester in environments where transparency and respect are lacking. Joshua Bowling, The Arizona Republic, 5 July 2022 Scant rainfall, gusty winds and anomalously warm temperatures during the months of April and May — following a winter with little snow — proved pernicious, helping the fires to fester and grow uncontrollably. Jason Samenow, Washington Post, 21 June 2022 The Kovalevskiy family left Mariupol after eating cold scraps of food in an unlit basement and watching sores fester on their unwashed skin.Anchorage Daily News, 20 July 2022 Homicides are often associated with big cities like Chicago, where police say the majority of killings have some tie to gang rivalries, which in recent years often fester on social media before spilling into the streets. Michael Tarm And Brynn Anderson, Chron, 6 July 2022 Homicides are often associated with big cities like Chicago, where police say the majority of killings have some tie to gang rivalries, which in recent years often fester on social media before spilling into the streets. Michael Tarm And Brynn Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 6 July 2022 Homicides are often associated with big cities like Chicago, where police say the majority of killings have some tie to gang rivalries, which in recent years often fester on social media before spilling into the streets. Michael Tarm And Brynn Anderson, Anchorage Daily News, 6 July 2022 Heavy rain at the tip of the Mississippi Delta has been lurking in the northern Gulf for the past couple days, and will linger and fester before gradually shifting west. Matthew Cappucci, Washington Post, 24 June 2022 See More
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English, from Anglo-French festre, from Latin fistula pipe, fistulous ulcer