plague

Plague comes from Middle English plage, borrowed from Old French plage, from Latin plāga, meaning 'blow' or 'wound,' itself from the verb plangō, 'to strike.' It's a doublet of the English word plaga, and it eventually displaced the native Old English word wōl.

The word began as a term for a physical blow or wound, tracing back to the act of striking. Over time it moved from a single strike to something larger and more relentless, edging out the old English word wōl that had covered similar ground.

It shares roots with French plaie, and cousins like Dutch plaag, German Plage, and Swedish plåga all carry the same idea of an affliction that strikes and lingers.