obnoxious

The definition of obnoxious is someone or something that is very annoying or offensive.

(adjective)

An example of obnoxious is an upstairs neighbor listening to extremely loud music at two o'clock in the morning.

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See obnoxious in Webster's New World College Dictionary

adjective

    1. exposed or liable to injury, evil, or harm
    2. liable to punishment; censurable
  1. very unpleasant; objectionable; offensive

Origin: L obnoxiosus < obnoxius, subject or exposed to danger < ob- (see ob-) + noxa, harm < base of nocere, to hurt: see necro-

Related Forms:

See obnoxious in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Very annoying or objectionable; offensive or odious: “I know no method to secure the repeal of bad or obnoxious laws so effective as their stringent execution” (Ulysses S. Grant).
  2. Archaic Exposed to harm, injury, or evil: “The town … now lies obnoxious to its foes” (John Bunyan).
  3. Archaic Deserving of or liable to censure.

Origin:

Origin: Latin obnoxiōsus, subordinate

Origin: , from obnoxius, subject, liable

Origin: : ob-, to; see ob-

Origin: + noxa, injury; see nek-1 in Indo-European roots

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Related Forms:

  • ob·noxˈious·ly adverb
  • ob·noxˈious·ness noun

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