deleterious

[ del-i-teer-ee-uhs ]

adjective

1. injurious to health:

   deleterious gases.

2. harmful; injurious:

   deleterious influences.

   Synonyms: noxious, destructive, hurtful, pernicious

   Antonyms: beneficial

deleterious

/ ˌdɛlɪˈtɪərɪəs /

adjective

1. harmful; injurious; hurtful

Derived Forms

• ˌdeleˈteriously, adverb
• ˌdeleˈteriousness, noun

Other Words From

• dele·teri·ous·ly adverb
• dele·teri·ous·ness noun
• nondel·e·teri·ous adjective
• nondel·e·teri·ous·ly adverb
• nondel·e·teri·ous·ness noun
• undel·e·teri·ous adjective
• undel·e·teri·ous·ly adverb
• undel·e·teri·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of deleterious¹

1635–45; < Greek dēlētḗrios destructive, adj. derivative of dēlētḗr destroyer, equivalent to dēlē- variant stem of dēleîsthai to hurt, injure + -tēr agent suffix + -ios adj. suffix; -ious

Word History and Origins

Origin of deleterious¹

C17: from New Latin dēlētērius, from Greek dēlētērios injurious, destructive, from dēleisthai to hurt

Example Sentences

But it is indeed in Uttar Pradesh that we see the deepest sympathy for this  deleterious machismo.

From The Daily Beast

Drugs are becoming more powerful with prescription painkillers used to enhance effect and prolong a deleterious pleasure.

From The Daily Beast

But consider: inhaling one leaf has had the largest deleterious impact on human health of any single product in human history.

From The Daily Beast

But the truth is that they have real and deleterious effects on conservative politics.

From The Daily Beast

Perhaps the noise raised by those who oppose labels will prove to be more deleterious than the labels themselves.

From The Daily Beast

Opium-smoking is a vice not only deleterious in itself, but one indulged in merely to satisfy a morbid craving.

From Project Gutenberg

It is evident that some cases are completely cured and that no deleterious influence remains.

From Project Gutenberg

Freedom from the deleterious action or habit-forming tendencies of the opiates.

From Project Gutenberg

The easier an act is, the more readily, if it is deleterious, will popular sentiment build a protective wall around it.

From Project Gutenberg

Tobacco smoke is more deleterious than ale, teetotaller; bile more potent than brandy.

From Project Gutenberg