obnoxious
pronunciation
How to pronounce obnoxious in British English:
UK [əbˈnɒkʃəs]
How to pronounce obnoxious in American English:
US [əbˈnɑːkʃəs]
-
- Adjective:
- causing disapproval or protest
Word Origin
- obnoxious
- obnoxious: see noxious
- obnoxious (adj.)
- 1580s, "subject to the authority of another," from Latin obnoxiosus "hurtful, injurious," from obnoxius "subject, exposed to harm," from ob "to, toward" (see ob-) + noxa "injury, hurt, damage entailing liability" (see noxious). Meaning "subject to something harmful" is 1590s; meaning "offensive, hateful" is first recorded 1670s, influenced by noxious.Obnoxious has two very different senses, one of which (exposed or open or liable to attack or injury) requires notice because its currency is now so restricted that it is puzzling to the uninstructed. It is the word's rightful or de jure meaning, and we may hope that scholarly writers will keep it alive. [Fowler] Related: Obnoxiously; obnoxiousness.
Example
- 1. Maybe it 's like having obnoxious neighbors .
- 2. This is not obnoxious advice because office politics is about being nice .
- 3. The scientific causes for obese , dull , or obnoxious kids are surely complicated .
- 4. Dealing with the occasional obnoxious heckler is inevitable when you run outside , especially for female runners .
- 5. Ungern was an obnoxious child ; he tried to strangle a neighbour 's pet owl and was expelled from school .