pernicious
pronunciation
How to pronounce pernicious in British English:
UK [pəˈnɪʃəs]
How to pronounce pernicious in American English:
US [pərˈnɪʃəs]
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- Adjective:
- exceedingly harmful
- working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way
Word Origin
- pernicious (adj.)
- early 15c., from Middle French pernicios (13c., Modern French pernicieux) and directly from Latin perniciosus "destructive," from pernicies "destruction, death, ruin," from per- "completely" (see per) + necis "violent death, murder," related to necare "to kill," nocere "to hurt, injure, harm," noxa "harm, injury" (see noxious). Related: Perniciously; perniciousness.
Synonym
Example
- 1. First , state-level politics can play a pernicious role .
- 2. The pernicious link between banks and governments stymies progress .
- 3. Now the focus is on inequality itself , and its supposedly pernicious consequences .
- 4. If elections are to remain , states can at least try to fight their most pernicious effects .
- 5. The pernicious link will persist .