pestilent
producing or tending to produce infectious or contagious, often epidemic, disease; pestilential.
destructive to life; deadly; poisonous.
injurious to peace, morals, etc.; pernicious.
troublesome, annoying, or mischievous.
Origin of pestilent
1Other words from pestilent
- pes·ti·lent·ly, adverb
- an·ti·pes·ti·lent, adjective
- an·ti·pes·ti·lent·ly, adverb
- non·pes·ti·lent, adjective
- non·pes·ti·lent·ly, adverb
- un·pes·ti·lent, adjective
- un·pes·ti·lent·ly, adverb
Words Nearby pestilent
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use pestilent in a sentence
You idle young blackguards, you pestilent oafs, you fools of the first water, write them out.
Sinister Street, vol. 1 | Compton MackenzieYou pestilent young jackanapes, do you suppose I haven't noticed your idleness?
Sinister Street, vol. 1 | Compton MackenzieHe was accused of being "a pestilent fellow, a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world."
Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians | Martin LutherThis man Luther is also accused of being a pestilent fellow who troubles the papacy and the Roman empire.
Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians | Martin LutherMediocrity had only seen the gawky stripling, with his moonstruck air, and pestilent habit of trying some new crotchet.
Heroes of the Telegraph | J. Munro
British Dictionary definitions for pestilent
/ (ˈpɛstɪlənt) /
annoying; irritating
highly destructive morally or physically; pernicious
infected with or likely to cause epidemic or infectious disease
Origin of pestilent
1Derived forms of pestilent
- pestilently, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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