# leper colony

> English word · Noun

## Definitions
1. An isolated community used to house lepers, usually in permanent quarantine from the rest of society.

## Etymology
Popularized during the period of New Imperialism, when leprosy was largely absent in Europe but seen as a growing threat in its colonial empires.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/leper-colony