pestilential Hear it!

pestilential Definition

pes·ti·len·tial (pes′tə lens̸həl)

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