fester

Meanings

Noun

• A fistula.
• A sore or an ulcer of the skin.
• The condition of something that festers; a festering; a festerment.

Verb

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

Origin

• 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. fistula.