outbreak

/ˈaʊtbɹeɪk/

Etymology

From Middle English outbreken, oute-breken, from Old English ūtābrecan (“to break out”), equivalent to out- + break. Cognate with Saterland Frisian uutbreeke (“to break out, burst out”), West Frisian útbrekke (“to break out”), Dutch uitbreken (“to break out, burst out”), German ausbrechen (“to break out, erupt”). The noun is cognate with Saterland Frisian Uutbreek (“outbreak”), West Frisian útbrek (“outbreak”), Dutch uitbraak (“outbreak”), and German Ausbruch (“outbreak”), and is comparable to Danish udbrud (“outbreak”), Faroese and Icelandic útbrot (“rash”), Norwegian utbrudd (“outbreak”), and Swedish utbrott (“outbreak”).

outbreak means an eruption; the sudden appearance of a rash, disease, etc. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 73 out of 100.

outbreak is pronounced /ˈaʊtbɹeɪk/.

noun

An eruption; the sudden appearance of a rash, disease, etc.“Any epidemic outbreak causes understandable panic.”
A sudden increase.“There has been an outbreak of vandalism at the school.”
An outburst or sudden eruption, especially of violence and mischief.“There has been an outbreak of broken windows in the street.”
Synonym of breakout (“escape from prison”).

verb

To burst out or break forth.