Typhoid Mary

noun

plural Typhoid Marys
: one that is by force of circumstances a center from which something undesirable spreads
the Typhoid Marys of the epidemics

Examples of Typhoid Mary in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The same display tells the story of Typhoid Mary, with a subtle sermon buried underneath. Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, 8 Oct. 2021 And take a lesson from the mistakes of Typhoid Mary: Wash your hands with soap and water frequently, for a minimum of 20 seconds. Sandee Lamotte and Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN, 7 July 2020 One of the most infamous examples of spreading disease while being asymptomatic is household cook Mary Mallon (Typhoid Mary), who spread typhoid to numerous families in 19th-century New England during food preparation. Paul Dawson, Scientific American, 25 Nov. 2015 Jeb recognized his new Typhoid Mary status with portions of the base and pivoted quickly. W. James Antle Iii, Washington Examiner, 1 Mar. 2023 Here, the Series 4 card in question is Luke Cage, who prevents Typhoid Mary from poisoning your other cards. Paul Tassi, Forbes, 3 Jan. 2023 In the sense that Typhoid Mary should have been proud, or Oppenheimer. Dennard Dayle, The New Yorker, 24 Aug. 2022 After World War II the holiday scene shifted away from the linen and silver and servants carted up from the Main Line and Back Bay—Typhoid Mary had been brought to work in an Islesboro household—and a new economic symbiosis between the islanders and summer people emerged. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper’s Magazine , 17 Aug. 2022 There are references to the Dalai Lama, Madam Curie and Typhoid Mary. Christina Tkacik, baltimoresun.com, 8 Oct. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Typhoid Mary.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Typhoid Mary, nickname of Mary Mallon †1938 Irish cook in U.S. who was found to be a typhoid carrier

First Known Use

1931, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Typhoid Mary was in 1931

Dictionary Entries Near Typhoid Mary

Cite this Entry

“Typhoid Mary.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Typhoid%20Mary. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

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