pervasive

[ per-vey-siv ]

adjective

1. spread throughout:

   The corruption is so pervasive that it is accepted as the way to do business.

pervasive

/ pɜːˈveɪsɪv /

adjective

1. pervading or tending to pervade

Derived Forms

• perˈvasively, adverb
• perˈvasiveness, noun

Other Words From

• per·va·sive·ly adverb
• per·va·sive·ness noun
• in·ter·per·va·sive adjective
• in·ter·per·va·sive·ly adverb
• non·per·va·sive adjective
• non·per·va·sive·ly adverb
• un·per·va·sive adjective
• un·per·va·sive·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pervasive¹

First recorded in 1730–40; equivalent to Latin pervās(us), past participle of pervādere “to pass through” + -ive ( def ); pervade ( def )

Word History and Origins

Origin of pervasive¹

C18: from Latin pervāsus, past participle of pervādere to pervade

Example Sentences

They include pervasive chronic disease, poor nutrition and the ubiquity of processed foods containing artificial chemicals.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s a field in which criminality is “pervasive,” as the FBI reported in September.

From Los Angeles Times

“These results demonstrated pervasive nonadherence to age verification, shipping, and flavored tobacco restrictions among online tobacco retailers,” the study’s authors wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

According to Patterson, social death is a state of permanent and violent domination coupled with physical separation from one’s family or homeland and marked by a pervasive condition of dishonor.

From Salon

His wins may not appear to be as sizeable, but they are pervasive.

From BBC

Related Words

• common
• inescapable
• omnipresent
• prevalent
• rife
• ubiquitous
• universal