deleterious
English
Alternative forms
- deletorious (now proscribed)
Etymology
Borrowed (1640s, 1582 as deletorious) from Medieval Latin deleterius, deletorius, from Ancient Greek δηλητήριος (dēlētḗrios, “noxious, deleterious”), from δηλητήρ (dēlētḗr, “a destroyer”), from δηλέομαι (dēléomai, “I hurt, damage, spoil, waste”).[1]
Pronunciation
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌdɛlɪˈtɪəɹi.əs/, /ˌdɪlɪˈtɪəɹi.əs/
- Lua error in Module:parameters at line 290: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "US" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˌdɛləˈtɪɹi.əs/
Audio (US): (file) Audio (AU): (file) - Rhymes: -ɪəɹiəs
Adjective
deleterious (comparative more deleterious, superlative most deleterious)
- Harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way.
- Synonyms: destructive, harmful, hurtful, injurious, noxious, pernicious; see also Thesaurus:harmful
- deleterious effects
- deleterious to someone's health
- 1850, Nathaniel Hawthorne, “chapter XV”, in The Scarlet Letter:
- Or might it suffice him, that every wholesome growth should be converted into something deleterious and malignant at his touch?
- 2017 September, Jean M. Twenge, “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?”, in The Atlantic[1]:
- The advent of the smartphone and its cousin the tablet was followed quickly by hand-wringing about the deleterious effects of “screen time.” But the impact of these devices has not been fully appreciated, and goes far beyond the usual concerns about curtailed attention spans.
- (genetics) having lower fitness.
Derived terms
Related terms
Translations
harmful
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Further reading
- “deleterious”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.
- “deleterious”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “deleterious”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
References
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “deleterious”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Medieval Latin
- English terms derived from Ancient Greek
- English 5-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio links
- Rhymes:English/ɪəɹiəs
- Rhymes:English/ɪəɹiəs/5 syllables
- English lemmas
- English adjectives
- English terms with usage examples
- English terms with quotations
- en:Genetics