perilous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of perilous
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French perillous, from Latin perīculōsus; see peril, -ous
Explanation
Something that is dangerous or very risky can be described with the adjective perilous. If you are driving in a blizzard, you may kick yourself for making such a perilous journey. The adjective perilous comes from the Latin word periculum, meaning dangerous. Words from the same root include peril, a noun meaning a dangerous situation, and imperil, a verb meaning to put in danger. The last thing you want to do as a parent is to imperil your children. Unfortunately, childhood is filled with peril — from climbing on the monkey bars to eating paste, dirt, or bugs. If you think you can prevent all perilous situations, you haven't been a parent very long!
Vocabulary lists containing perilous
The Star-Spangled Banner
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"Julius Caesar" by William Shakespeare, Act I
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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 8–13
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Tens of thousands of migrants from the Horn of Africa make the perilous journey each year hoping to reach Gulf countries for safety and work, according to the UN agency.
From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026
This perilous journey of roughly 930 miles claimed more than 3,000 lives in 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
So producers inside the Gulf have turned to hiring very large crude carriers, known as VLCCs, to complete a perilous journey known as a “shuttle run.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 5, 2026
The agreement aimed to smash the business model of smugglers who charge migrants huge amounts to make the perilous and sometimes deadly journey.
From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026
I was haunted by the thought of Lola, the severity of that gaunt old painted face, her boldness of stride in the perilous high heels, her vitality, ducking into the Rolls.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
