leper
leper
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for leper is /ˈlɛpər/.
Syllable Breakdown
The word is broken down into two syllables: le-per.
le (/lɛ/): This syllable starts with the /l/ sound, as in light, followed by the /ɛ/ vowel, as in dress.
per (/pər/): This syllable starts with the /p/ sound, as in pie, followed by the /ər/ sound (an r-colored schwa), as in teacher.
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: leper
Plural Noun: lepers
Related Adjective: leprous (describing something affected by or resembling leprosy)
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
(Historical/Medical) A person afflicted with leprosy (also known as Hansen's disease). 🧑⚕️
Note: This term is now widely considered outdated and offensive because it equates a person with their illness. The preferred modern phrasing is "a person affected by leprosy."
Synonyms: (Modern equivalent) person with Hansen's disease.
Antonyms: healthy person, unaffected individual.
(Metaphorical) A person who is rejected, avoided, or cast out from a group or society; an outcast. 🚶♂️
This meaning derives from the historical practice of isolating people with leprosy from their communities.
Synonyms: pariah, outcast, castaway, untouchable, persona non grata.
Antonyms: insider, favorite, celebrity, luminary, cherished member.
Examples of Use
Here are several real-world examples of how the word "leper" is used across various contexts.
In Books and Literature
In religious texts, the word is used literally to describe those with the disease. A well-known passage reads: "And a leper came to him, beseeching him, and kneeling said to him, 'If you will, you can make me clean.'" (The Bible, Mark 1:40)
In historical non-fiction, it describes the profound social consequences of the disease: "The medieval mindset did not separate the physical from the spiritual; the disfigured body of the leper was seen as a manifestation of a corrupted soul, justifying their status as an outcast."
In classic literature, the concept is used metaphorically to explore themes of social alienation. The protagonist of Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter, Hester Prynne, is forced to live as a social leper, physically and emotionally isolated from the community that condemned her.
In Newspapers and Online Publications
In political commentary, it is often used to describe a public figure who has lost all influence and support: "After the ethics scandal broke, the once-powerful lobbyist became a political leper on Capitol Hill, with lawmakers refusing to take his calls." (The New York Times)
In financial news, it can refer to a company or country shunned by the international community: "With new sanctions imposed, the nation's economy is being turned into a global leper, unable to secure foreign investment or participate in international markets." (The Wall Street Journal)
In cultural analysis, it describes the modern phenomenon of being socially exiled: "In the unforgiving court of public opinion, one wrong move can make you a digital leper, effectively erased from the online communities you once belonged to." (Wired)
In Entertainment and Media
Film: In the epic film Ben-Hur, the main character's mother and sister contract leprosy and are sent to live in a leper colony, depicting the literal horror and isolation associated with the disease in the ancient world.
Television: In a fictional high-school drama, a character might exclaim, "Ever since that rumor started, I'm treated like a total leper. Nobody will even sit at my lunch table."
Music: The metal band Metallica uses the term metaphorically in their song "Leper Messiah" to critique charismatic leaders who exploit their followers, singing: "Bow to leper messiah." (Metallica, Master of Puppets)
In General Public Discourse
Workplace: "After I became the whistleblower in the accounting fraud, I was treated like a leper at the office. Colleagues I'd known for years would avoid eye contact and walk the other way when they saw me coming."
Social Media: A user on X (formerly Twitter) might post, "Just admitted to my friends I've never seen a single Star Wars movie. Preparing to be treated like a leper for the rest of the night."
Health Advocacy: Modern organizations often reference the term to fight against stigma: "We must move past archaic terms like 'leper.' People are not their disease, which is why we advocate for person-first language, such as 'a person affected by Hansen's disease.'" (World Health Organization)
10 Famous Quotes Using Leper
When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. (Mother Teresa)
We lepers. (Saint Damien of Molokai, beginning a sermon after contracting leprosy himself)
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. (The Bible, Matthew 10:8, KJV)
He is a man who heals a leper by being a leper. (G. K. Chesterton)
And a leper came to him, imploring him, and kneeling said to him, ‘If you will, you can make me clean.’ (The Bible, Mark 1:40, ESV)
Bow to leper messiah. (Metallica, “Leper Messiah”)
Once the scandal broke, the disgraced CEO became a corporate leper, with former partners refusing to even mention his name.
A leper is honour to a people, but not a prophet. (Friedrich Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra)
After the vote, he was treated as a political leper by his own party.
Suffering is not a virtue, not a sign of grace; it's a disease, and the man who contracts it is a leper and must be segregated. (Graham Greene, A Burnt-Out Case)
Etymology
The journey of the word "leper" begins in Ancient Greece. The original Greek word was lepis, which meant "scale," like the scale on a fish or a reptile.
From that root, the Greeks formed the word lepra to describe a condition that caused the skin to become scaly or peel. Essentially, lepra meant "the scaly disease." It's important to note that in ancient times, this term was used for a wide variety of skin ailments, not just the specific illness we call leprosy (Hansen's disease) today.
The Romans later adopted this word into Latin as lepra. As Latin evolved into Old French, the word changed slightly to lepre (for the disease) and lepros (for the person with the disease).
The word first appeared in English around the 13th century, coming directly from Old French. Its first and original meaning in English was exactly that: a person suffering from leprosy.
So, at its core, the word is not named after a place or a person, but is a very direct, physical description of a symptom associated with the disease—scaly, peeling skin. The powerful metaphorical meaning of "outcast" or "pariah" developed much later, stemming from the historical practice of isolating people with the illness from society.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Leper
Phrases and Similes
To treat someone like a leper: To completely shun, ignore, or avoid a person as if they were contagious.
A political leper: A public figure who is ostracized by their own party or the entire political community, losing all influence.
A social leper: An individual who has been cast out from their social circle or community.
A corporate leper: A company or executive shunned by the business world, often due to a scandal or catastrophic failure.
A digital leper: A modern term for someone who has been exiled or "canceled" from online communities and social media platforms.
Idioms with a Similar Meaning
Persona non grata: A Latin term for an unwelcome person who is banned or forbidden from a place or group.
The black sheep (of the family): A person who is considered a disgrace or embarrassment to their family or group.
Sent to Coventry: A British idiom for being deliberately ostracized, where people refuse to speak to or acknowledge someone.
Left out in the cold: To be ignored or excluded from a group, activity, or discussion.
Given the cold shoulder: To be treated with intentional unfriendliness and indifference.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of leper from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
