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Pernicious

//pəˈnɪʃəs// adj

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Causing much harm in a subtle way.

    "pernicious influence"

  2. 2
    swift; celeritous. obsolete
  3. 3
    Causing death or injury; deadly.
  4. 4
    Insidiously villainous: intending to cause harm, especially in a subtle way.
Adjective
  1. 1
    working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way wordnet
  2. 2
    exceedingly harmful wordnet

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English, from Old French pernicios, from Latin perniciōsus (“destructive”), from perniciēs (“destruction”), from per (“through”) + nex (“slaughter, death”).

Etymology 2

Analyzable as pernīx ("swift") + -ious.

See also for "pernicious"

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