Search results
- Dictionarypernicious/pəˈnɪʃəs/
adjective
- 1. having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way: "the pernicious influences of the mass media"
Powered by Oxford Dictionaries
having a very harmful effect or influence: The cuts in government funding have had a pernicious effect on local health services. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Dangerous and harmful. adverse conditions. adverse effect. adverse publicity. adverse reaction. deleteriously. destabilizing. destructively. destructiveness. inimically.
having a very harmful effect or influence: The cuts in government funding have had a pernicious effect on local health services. SMART Vocabulary: related words and phrases. Dangerous and harmful. adverse conditions. adverse effect. adverse publicity. adverse reaction. deleteriously. destabilizing. destructively. destructiveness. impact statement.
Its original meaning in English, “highly injurious or destructive,” usually applies to things (“pernicious apathy,” “pernicious effects”) and medical conditions (“pernicious fever,” “pernicious anemia”). When applied to people, pernicious means “wicked.”
1. causing great injury, destruction, or ruin; fatal; deadly. 2. Rare.
Pernicious definition: causing insidious harm or ruin; ruinous; injurious; hurtful. See examples of PERNICIOUS used in a sentence.
PERNICIOUS definition: very harmful. Learn more.
Pernicious means harmful and subtle, such as a poison gas that causes illness in those exposed to it over the course of years.
Definition of pernicious adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.
A complete guide to the word "PERNICIOUS": definitions, pronunciations, synonyms, grammar insights, collocations, examples, and translations.
PERNICIOUS meaning: causing great harm or damage often in a way that is not easily seen or noticed.
