Perniciousness

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Pernicious \Per*ni"cious\, a. [L. perniciosus, from pernicies
     destruction, from pernecare to kill or slay outright; per +
     necare to kill, slay: cf. F. pernicieux. Cf. {Nuisance},
     {Necromancy}.]
     Having the quality of injuring or killing; destructive; very
     mischievous; baleful; malicious; wicked.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           Let this pernicious hour
           Stand aye accursed in the calendar.      --Shak.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           Pernicious to his health.                --Prescott.
     [1913 Webster]
  
     Syn: Destructive; ruinous; deadly; noxious; injurious;
          baneful; deleterious; hurtful; mischievous.
          [1913 Webster] -- {Per*ni"cious*ly}, adv., --
          {Per*ni"cious*ness}, n.
          [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  perniciousness
       n : grave harmfulness or deadliness [syn: {toxicity}]