pestilence in WordNet English dictionary

1. a pernicious and malign influence that is hard to get rid of
   "racism is a pestilence at the heart of the nation"; "according to him, I was the canker in their midst"
   pestilence  canker 
   
2. any epidemic disease with a high death rate
   plague  pestilence  pest 
   
3. a serious (sometimes fatal) infection of rodents caused by Yersinia pestis and accidentally transmitted to humans by the bite of a flea that has bitten an infected animal
   plague  pestilence  pest  pestis