pestilent

(pestə lənt)

adjective

  1. likely to cause death; deadly
  2. Rare contagious; pestilential
  3. dangerous to the security and welfare of society; pernicious: the pestilent threat of war
  4. annoying; troublesome

Origin: ME < L pestilens < pestis, plague

Related Forms:

See pestilent in American Heritage Dictionary 4

adjective
  1. Tending to cause death; deadly.
  2. Likely to cause an epidemic disease.
  3. Infected or contaminated with a contagious disease.
  4. Morally, socially, or politically harmful; pernicious. See Synonyms at poisonous.
  5. Causing annoyance or disapproval.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old French

Origin: , from Latin pestilēns, pestilent-

Origin: , from pestis, pestilence; see pest

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