French word

infester

Pronunciation

IPA/ɛ̃fɛste/

Meaning

  • verbinfest

Example

Les rats infestent le grenier.

Rats infest the attic.

Illustration for infester (infest)

More examples

Les cafards infestent la cuisine.

Cockroaches overrun the kitchen.

Core concept

A harmful living presence multiplying through a space and taking it over.

Common phrases

  • infester la maison

    overrun the house

  • infester le jardin

    overrun the garden

  • infester les cultures

    overrun the crops

Similar words

envahir: To enter and occupy a place in large numbers.
proliférer: To increase sharply in number or amount and spread within a short time.
contaminer: To introduce harmful substances or microbes that pollute or infect people, places, or things.
se propager: To spread from one place to others, especially causing disease or harm.

Definition in French

Envahir un endroit par la prolifération d'êtres nuisibles ou d'agents pathogènes.

Word origin

French infester comes from Latin infestare, meaning 'to attack or trouble', with the modern sense focused on harmful organisms or pathogens.

Usage tips

  • The passive pattern être infesté de introduces the harmful presence, as in un grenier infesté de rats.

Other meanings

  • overrunverb

Opposites

  • éradiquereradicateverb

Related words

  • infestationinfestationnoun
  • infestéoverrunadjective
  • infestateurinfesting organismnoun

Word lists with this word