pernicious

[ per-nish-uhs ]

adjective

1. causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful:

   pernicious teachings;

   a pernicious lie.

   Synonyms: malicious, noxious, baneful, damaging, destructive, deleterious, detrimental, harmful

2. deadly; fatal:

   a pernicious disease.

   Synonyms: lethal

3. Obsolete. evil; wicked.

pernicious

/ pəˈnɪʃəs /

adjective

1. wicked or malicious

   pernicious lies

2. causing grave harm; deadly

Derived Forms

• perˈniciously, adverb
• perˈniciousness, noun

Other Word Forms

• per·nicious·ly adverb
• per·nicious·ness noun
• unper·nicious adjective
• unper·nicious·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of pernicious¹

First recorded in 1515–25; from Latin perniciōsus “ruinous,” from pernici(ēs) “ruin” (from per- per- + -nici-, combining form of nex “death, murder” + -ēs, noun suffix) + -ōsus -ous

Word History and Origins

Origin of pernicious¹

C16: from Latin perniciōsus, from perniciēs ruin, from per- (intensive) + nex death

Example Sentences

Even in the 21st century, the pernicious lie that Black Americans do not value education still persists.

From Salon

"I think we should be doing what Australia is doing, and separating our children from this pernicious disease of thought that is infecting them," he says.

From BBC

Perhaps it is human nature - that your own arm's length bodies don't feel as pernicious as ones dreamt up by a predecessor.

From BBC

Just like when Lamar scooped up an award for “Not Like Us” at the Grammys, he had the whole Super Bowl crowd singing along to his particularly pernicious barbs.

From Salon

“Companion” is confident, but with so little to back it up, that confidence comes off as arrogance, making the film feel ironically steeped in the pernicious masculine tone it’s trying to lampoon.

From Salon

Related Words

• damaging
• dangerous
• deadly
• destructive
• detrimental
• devastating
• harmful
• lethal
• malicious
• nefarious
• noxious
• poisonous
• ruinous
• toxic
• virulent