blight
definition
a plant disease characterized by rapid and extensive discoloration and death of plant tissues
example
The garden was affected by a terrible blight that made the leaves turn brown and fall off.
synonyms
diseaserotdecay
word origin — Middle English blight, from Old English blīht; related to an Old Norse word 'blik', meaning to shine or to be bright, possibly referring to the discoloration of diseased plants.