Pest

¹ American  

[pest, pesht] / pɛst, pɛʃt /

noun

1. Budapest

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pest ² American  

[pest] / pɛst /

noun

1. an annoying or troublesome person, animal, or thing; nuisance.

   Synonyms:

   annoyance

2. an insect or other small animal that harms or destroys garden plants, trees, etc.

3. a deadly epidemic disease, especially a plague; pestilence.

   Synonyms:

   epidemic, scourge, pandemic

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pest British  

/ pɛst /

noun

1. a person or thing that annoys, esp by imposing itself when it is not wanted; nuisance

2. 1. any organism that damages crops, injures or irritates livestock or man, or reduces the fertility of land

   2. ( as modifier )

      pest control

3. rare an epidemic disease or pestilence

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Other Word Forms

• de-pest verb (used with object)

Etymology

Origin of pest

First recorded in 1545–55, pest is from the Latin word pestis plague

Example Sentences

Praised for warding off pests, so-called bodega cats are also a cultural fixture for New Yorkers, some of whom are now pushing to enshrine legal rights for the little store helpers.

From Barron's

Their goal is to close the “yield gap”—the efficiency lead historically held by American farms—by developing seeds that maximize oil content and resist local pests.

From The Wall Street Journal

That means ensuring they are well watered, properly mulched, kept safe from harm from construction projects or digging, and are treated for potential pest infestations, says Brunner.

From The Wall Street Journal

During the race, he expressed his love of bodega cats, who hang out in New York City convenience stores keeping unwanted pests away.

From The Wall Street Journal

Researchers were unsure whether locusts might still enter treated plots from nearby untreated fields or whether higher protein plants might attract other pests.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• blight
• bug
• contagion
• epidemic
• infection
• plague
• scourge
• virus