plague rat
Infected flea host
A plague rat is someone who spreads disease through reckless or indifferent behavior—particularly by ignoring public health measures during an epidemic.
The term gained currency during COVID-19 for people who refused masks, attended large gatherings while sick, or otherwise endangered others: My roommate went to a party with a fever—total plague rat.
The insult casts the person as vermin, suggesting they're not just careless but actively pestilent.
Of groin-node swellings
- Black DeathMedieval bubonic plague pandemic
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- contagionDisease spread by contact
infection · flea · vector · carrier · transmission · Yersinia pestis · zoonosis · outbreak
Harmful small animals
- pestHarmful creature or nag
- infestationPest takeover situation
- burrowAnimal's dug dwelling
- colonyDependent territorial settlement
flea-ridden · sewers · granary · filth · scavenger · nocturnal · gnawing · nest
Rejected, shunned person
- spreaderTool for distribution
- superspreaderUnusually contagious infected person
- anti-vaxxerOne rejecting vaccinations
- anti-maskerOne opposing face mandates
selfish · reckless · irresponsible · COVID · contagious · unclean · diseased · outcast
bubonic
Of groin-node swellings
- Black DeathMedieval bubonic plague pandemic
- epidemicWidespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
contagion · infection · flea · vector · carrier · transmission · Yersinia pestis · zoonosis · outbreak · pestilence
vermin
Harmful small animals
- pestHarmful creature or nag
- infestationPest takeover situation
- burrowAnimal's dug dwelling
colony · flea-ridden · sewers · granary · filth · scavenger · nocturnal · gnawing · nest · urban
pariah
Rejected, shunned person
- spreaderTool for distribution
- superspreaderUnusually contagious infected person
- anti-vaxxerOne rejecting vaccinations
anti-masker · selfish · reckless · irresponsible · COVID · contagious · unclean · diseased · outcast · shunned
plague rattherapy animal
Creature providing emotional healing
service dog · laboratory mouse · lab mouse · house cat · purebred dog
plague ratbeloved companion
house cat · golden retriever · show dog · prized possession · social butterfly
plague, rat, plagues, plagued, plaguing, rats, ratty, ratted, ratting