pestilential Hear it!

pestilential Definition

pes·ti·len·tial (pes′tə len′s̸həl)

adjective

  1. of, causing, or likely to cause pestilence or infection
  2. like or constituting a pestilence; widespread and deadly
  3. pernicious; dangerous; harmful

Etymology: ME pestilencial < ML pestilentialis

pestilential Related Forms
pes′·ti·len′·tially adverb
pestilential Synonyms

pestilential

modif.

  1. Deadly

    infectious, pestiferous, malignant; see dangerous 1, 2, deadly.

  2. Harmful

    destructive, troublesome, contaminating; see harmful.

pestilential Usage Examples

Modifies a noun

  • nuisance: Social reformers near at hand are often intolerable bores and religious fanatics frequently a pestilential nuisance.
  • fever: Berkhampstead was visited in 1643 by a violent pestilential fever.
  • spot: The pestilential spots appeared chiefly in the neck, breast, and back, and were not easily distinguishable from fleabites.
  • state: Many cities also went to ruin, and the famine and pestilential state of the air destroyed thousands of men and cattle.

Browse dictionary entries near pestilential

  1. ‹ pestilent
  2. ‹ pestilence
  3. ‹ pestiferous
  4. ‹ pesticide
  5. ‹ pesthouse
  6. ‹ pesthole
  7. ‹ pester
  8. ‹ Pestalozzi
  9. ‹ pest
  10. ‹ Pessoa
  1. pestle ›
  2. pesto ›
  3. pet ›
  4. Petöfi ›
  5. PET scan ›
  6. peta- ›
  7. Petah Tiqwa ›
  8. petal ›
  9. -petal ›
  10. petalody ›