Pernicious

Pronunciation: /pɚˈnɪʃəs/

Definitions of pernicious

adjective having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way

Example Sentences

A1 Some people believe that gossip can be a pernicious habit.

A2 The pernicious effects of smoking are well documented.

B1 The pernicious influence of social media on young people's self-esteem is a growing concern.

B2 The company's pernicious practices were exposed by investigative journalists.

C1 The pernicious ideology of the extremist group led to widespread violence.

C2 The pernicious nature of corruption in politics is a major obstacle to progress.

Examples of pernicious in a Sentence

formal The pernicious effects of climate change are becoming increasingly evident.

informal That pernicious rumor has been spreading like wildfire.

slang I can't stand that pernicious dude, he's always causing trouble.

figurative The pernicious grip of addiction can be hard to break free from.

Grammatical Forms of pernicious

• past tense: pernicioused
• plural: perniciouses
• comparative: more pernicious
• superlative: most pernicious
• present tense: pernicious
• future tense: will be pernicious
• perfect tense: has been pernicious
• continuous tense: is being pernicious
• singular: pernicious
• positive degree: pernicious
• infinitive: to be pernicious
• gerund: perniciousing
• participle: pernicioused

Origin and Evolution of pernicious

First Known Use: 0015 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'pernicious' originated from the Latin word 'perniciosus', which means destructive or harmful.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in the 15th century to describe something deadly or destructive, the word 'pernicious' has evolved to also mean harmful in a more general sense, often referring to something that is subtle or gradual in its negative effects.