13 results for: Pernicious

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

per·ni·cious

Audio Help [per-nish-uh

–adjective

1.	causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful: pernicious teachings; a pernicious lie.

2.	deadly; fatal: a pernicious disease.

3.	Obsolete. evil; wicked.

[Origin: 1515–25; < L perniciōsus ruinous, equiv. to pernici(és) ruin (per- per- + -nici-, comb. form of nex death, murder (s. nec-) + -iés n. suffix) + -ōsus -ous

]

—Related forms

per·ni·cious·ly, adverb

per·ni·cious·ness, noun

—Synonyms 1. harmful, detrimental, deleterious, destructive, damaging, baneful, noxious, malicious. 2. lethal.

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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Pernicious

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

per·ni·cious Audio Help (pər-nĭsh'əs) Pronunciation Key
adj.

1. Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly: a pernicious virus.
2. Causing great harm; destructive: pernicious rumors.
Archaic Evil; wicked.

[Middle English, from Old French pernicios, from Latin perniciōsus, from perniciēs, destruction : per-, per- + nex, nec-, violent death; see nek-¹ in Indo-European roots.]

per·ni'cious·ly adv., per·ni'cious·ness n.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
pernicious

1521, from M.Fr. pernicios (13c., Fr. pernicieux), from L. perniciosus "destructive," from pernicies "destruction, death, ruin," from per- "completely" + necis "violent death, murder," related to necare "to kill," nocere "to hurt, injure, harm," noxa "harm, injury" (see noxious).

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

pernicious
adjective
1.	exceedingly harmful [syn: baneful]
2.	working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way; "glaucoma is an insidious disease"; "a subtle poison" [syn: insidious]

American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

per·ni·cious (pr-nshs)
adj.

Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Main Entry: per·ni·cious
Pronunciation: p&r-'nish-&s
Function: adjective
: highly injurious or destructive : tending to a fatal issue : DEADLY <pernicious disease>

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Pernicious

Nui"sance\, n. [OE. noisance, OF. noisance, nuisance, fr. L. nocentia guilt, fr. nocere to hurt, harm; akin to necare to kill. Cf Necromancy, Nocent, Noxious, Pernicious.] That which annoys or gives trouble and vexation; that which is offensive or noxious.

Note: Nuisances are public when they annoy citizens in general; private, when they affect individuals only.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Pernicious

Per*ni"cion\, n. [See 2d Pernicious.] Destruction; perdition. [Obs.] --hudibras.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Pernicious

Per*ni"cious\, a. [L. pernix, -icis.] Quick; swift (to burn). [R.] --Milton.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Pernicious

Per*ni"cious\, a. [L. perniciosus, from pernicies destruction, from pernecare to kill or slay outright; per + necare to kill, slay: cf. F. pernicieux. Cf. Nuisance, Necromancy.] Having the quality of injuring or killing; destructive; very mischievous; baleful; malicious; wicked.

Let this pernicious hour Stand aye accursed in the calendar. --Shak.

Pernicious to his health. --Prescott.

Syn: Destructive; ruinous; deadly; noxious; injurious; baneful; deleterious; hurtful; mischievous. -- Per*ni"cious*ly, adv., -- Per*ni"cious*ness, n.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Pernicious

Per*nic"i*ty\, n. [L. pernicitas. See 1st Pernicious.] Swiftness; celerity. [R.] --Ray.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day Archive - Cite This Source - Share This

pernicious

pernicious was Word of the Day on February 4, 2001.

Dictionary.com Word of the Day

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