pernicious — having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way
Pronunciation (IPA): /pərˈnɪʃəs/
Example Sentences
- Social media can have a pernicious effect on teenagers' self-esteem, slowly eroding their confidence over time.
- My grandmother's pernicious cooking advice of 'add more salt to everything' nearly destroyed my diet plan.
- The pernicious myth that success comes without effort has misled many young entrepreneurs.
pernicious
ADJECTIVE[/pərˈnɪʃəs/]
having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way
The pernicious mold spread silently through the old library, destroying priceless manuscripts.
Pernish spreads poison to punish us - slow and sly!
Pernicious plans hide behind vicious smiles, but suspicious eyes see the truth.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From Latin 'perniciosus' meaning destructive or ruinous, derived from 'pernicies' (destruction, ruin). The Latin root is related to 'pernicies' which comes from 'per-' (through) and a root related to death or harm.
Breakdown
per- (through) + -niciosus (harmful, destructive, from Latin nex meaning death) = pernicious (having a harmful effect through gradual or subtle means)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“Social media can have a pernicious effect on teenagers' self-esteem, slowly eroding their confidence over time.”
“My grandmother's pernicious cooking advice of 'add more salt to everything' nearly destroyed my diet plan.”
“The pernicious myth that success comes without effort has misled many young entrepreneurs.”
“His pernicious habit of checking his phone every five minutes was slowly turning him into a zombie.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.