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 Words From

• 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

The Mayor of London has written to every primary school in London asking them to help counter the "pernicious influence" of misogynists such as Andrew Tate.

From BBC

Housing costs and inflation have had a pernicious effect on Americans’ financial well-being.

From Salon

It also comes amid a growing body of research showing the pernicious and ubiquitous nature of microplastics in the environment and within human bodies.

From Los Angeles Times

Additionally, the salutary bipartisan reform of the Electoral Count Act took away the more pernicious avenues to corrupting the election results, and we are more aware of what bad actors might try to do.

From Salon

“No state has done as much as California in addressing the pernicious problem of homelessness that too many politicians have ignored for too long,” he said.

From Salon

Related Words

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