plague rat
A rat which acts as a vector of the plagueA rat which acts as a vector of the plague; a sewer rat.
» In spite of the serious risk of infection, Simond caught a plague-infected rat in the street.
Trotz der hohen Ansteckungsgefahr fing Simond auf der Straße eine pestinfizierte Ratte.
Meaning
2 sensesA rat which acts as a vector of the plague; a sewer rat.
(derogatory, neologism)Someone who refuses to follow anti-pandemic rules and guidelines or even takes actions, such as attending unnecessary events, that promote the spread of illness.
Examples
1 sentencesIn spite of the serious risk of infection, Simond caught a plague-infected rat in the street.
deTrotz der hohen Ansteckungsgefahr fing Simond auf der Straße eine pestinfizierte Ratte. — Pfirsichbaeumchen
Origin
Modern sense coined during the COVID-19 pandemic as a reference to rats being a common carModern sense coined during the COVID-19 pandemic as a reference to rats being a common carrier of disease, possibly also looking at the role of rats in the Black Plague and influenced by the use of "rat" as a derogatory insult in general.
Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Forms
plural: plague rats| Singular | plague rat |
|---|---|
| Plural | plague rats |
regular