fester

Fester has multiple uses in English. As a verb, to fester means to become infected and to form pus, or more generally to rot or worsen as neglect or irritation continues. It can describe physical wounds as well as abstract situations, such as resentment that grows over time. The adjective form is festering, and the noun form is rare outside proper names.

In popular culture, the best-known use is Uncle Fester, a fictional member of The Addams Family, created by cartoonist Charles Addams. Uncle Fester is depicted as an eccentric, bald relative who performs odd experiments and contributes to the family’s macabre humor. The character appeared in the 1960s television series, where he was played by Jackie Coogan, and was later portrayed by Christopher Lloyd in the 1991 film The Addams Family and its 1993 sequel.

Fester is also used as a surname and may appear as a character name in fiction. Outside of naming, the term itself remains primarily a verb with specific meanings related to infection and deterioration.