Pernicious Definition
pər-nĭshəs
adjective
Tending to cause death or serious injury; deadly.
A pernicious virus.
American Heritage
Causing great injury, destruction, or ruin; fatal; deadly.
Webster's New World
Wicked; evil.
Webster's New World
Synonyms:
Origin of Pernicious
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Middle English from Old French pernicios from Latin perniciōsus from perniciēs destruction per- per- nex nec- violent death nek-1 in Indo-European roots
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
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From Middle English, from Old French pernicios, from Latin perniciosus (“destructive"), from pernicies (“destruction"), from per (“through") + nex (“slaughter, death")
From Wiktionary
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