pervasive

[ per-vey-siv ]
See synonyms for: pervasivepervasiveness on Thesaurus.com

adjective
  1. spread throughout: The corruption is so pervasive that it is accepted as the way to do business.

Origin of pervasive

1
First recorded in 1730–40; equivalent to Latin pervās(us), past participle of pervādere “to pass through” + -ive; see pervade

Other words from pervasive

  • per·va·sive·ly, adverb
  • per·va·sive·ness, noun
  • in·ter·per·va·sive, adjective
  • in·ter·per·va·sive·ly, adverb
  • non·per·va·sive, adjective
  • non·per·va·sive·ly, adverb
  • un·per·va·sive, adjective
  • un·per·va·sive·ly, adverb

Words Nearby pervasive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use pervasive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pervasive

pervasive

/ (pɜːˈveɪsɪv) /


adjective
  1. pervading or tending to pervade

Origin of pervasive

1
C18: from Latin pervāsus, past participle of pervādere to pervade

Derived forms of pervasive

  • pervasively, adverb
  • pervasiveness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012