leper

noun

lep·​er ˈle-pər 

1

: a person affected with leprosy

2

: a person shunned for moral or social reasons

Synonyms

• castaway
• castoff
• offscouring
• outcast
• pariah
• reject

Examples of leper in a Sentence

was treated as a leper after she leveled unpopular criticism of the beloved star

Recent Examples on the Web

But one thing’s for sure—there were some among them who chose to become lepers. —Lee Chang-Dong, The New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2024

Ana Navarro slams 'social leper and criminal' Diddy in passionate defense of Cassie on The View Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. —Ryan Coleman, EW.com, 23 Sep. 2024

Santa Cruz resident Rus Scott traveled to Crete in June for adventures that included a day trip from the coastal city of Agios Nikolaos, pictured, to the tiny island of Spinalonga, which was once a leper colony. —Jackie Burrell, The Mercury News, 9 Sep. 2024

The sisters run a home for children and have helped organize an impoverished settlement of lepers. —Victor Gaetan, Foreign Affairs, 2 June 2017

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from lepre leprosy, from Late Latin lepra, from Greek, from lepein to peel; perhaps akin to Lithuanian lopas piece, scrap

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

leper

noun

lep·​er ˈlep-ər 

: a person who has leprosy

Medical Definition

leper

noun

lep·​er ˈlep-ər 

: an individual affected with leprosy