French word

pernicieux

Pronunciation

IPA/pɛʁnisjø/

Meaning

  • adjectiveharmful

Example

Le tabac est pernicieux pour la santé.

Tobacco is harmful to health.

Illustration for pernicieux (harmful)

More examples

Une petite habitude peut avoir un effet pernicieux à long terme.

A small habit can have a harmful effect in the long term.

Core concept

A quiet harmful force that grows unnoticed before producing major damage.

Common phrases

  • effet pernicieux

    harmful effect

Similar words

dangereux: Posing an immediate threat of serious accidents or harm.
nuisible: Causing harm or inconvenience to daily life or the environment.
nocif: Harmful to physical health or bodily functions.
néfaste: Likely to produce bad results or effects over the long term.

Definition in French

Qui cause un grand tort, souvent de façon lente et cachée.

Word origin

French pernicieux continues Latin perniciosus, an adjective formed from pernicies, a word for destruction or ruin.

Usage tips

  • The usual construction is pernicieux pour followed by the thing harmed, as in pernicieux pour la santé.

Other meanings

  • perniciousadjective

Opposites

Word lists with this word