fester

Meaning

Verb

1. To become septic; to become rotten.
2. To worsen, especially due to lack of attention.
3. To cause to fester or rankle.

Noun

1. (obsolete) A fistula.
2. A sore or an ulcer of the skin.
3. The condition of something that festers; a festering; a festerment.

Synonyms

suppurate

ulcerate

maturate

rot

putrefy

matter

rankle

run

discharge pus

gather

suppurating sore

decay

suppuration

sore

ooze

pyosis

spoil

ulcer

ulceration

become infected

be inflamed

form pus

be bleary

microbism

pyogenesis

be decomposed

putresce

festerment

be wormy

abscess

have a rash

bad

👎

become swollen

be sore

ejaculate

envenom

erosion

festering

infected

inflamed

maturation

orgasm

purulence

purulency

pustule

Hyphenated as

fes‧ter

Pronounced as (IPA)

/ˈfɛstə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: festre

Cognate with Italian: fistola

Cognate with Occitan: fistola

Cognate with Spanish: fístula

In summary

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.