adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of dangerous
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English da(u)ngerous “domineering, fraught with danger,” from Old French dangereus “threatening, difficult,” equivalent to dangier ( see danger) + -eus -ous
Explanation
Use the word dangerous to describe anything that can potentially cause serious harm, like a snarling pit bull or an icy, treacherous road. The earliest meaning of the word dangerous was "difficult or arrogant." When Geoffrey Chaucer wrote "The Canterbury Tales" in the 1300s, he used dangerous to mean "hard to please." Gradually the meaning changed, so that by the late fifteenth century, dangerous meant "liable to cause hurt" or "risky." Just as popular were two other danger-related words that we don't use anymore today: dangersome and dangerful, which at the time could be used interchangeably with dangerous.
Vocabulary lists containing dangerous
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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.
The lack of overnight relief is one reason this #HeatWave DANGEROUS.
From The Verge • Sep. 1, 2022
"UNREASONABLY DANGEROUS" The court ruled then that generic drugmakers could not be sued for failing to warn about certain health risks because federal law requires brand-name and generic drugs to carry the same label.
From Reuters • Mar. 19, 2013
"DANGEROUS CONDITIONS" Crew member Gary Lobaton has already filed a lawsuit against Carnival in a U.S. district court.
From Reuters • Jan. 28, 2012
"DANGEROUS OUT THERE" Bloomberg told New Yorkers Irene was a life-threatening hurricane and urged them to heed evacuation orders.
From Reuters • Aug. 28, 2011
The next stage in this evolution was the development of an idea which acted with great force throughout the Middle Ages—the idea that science is DANGEROUS.
From History of the Warfare of Science with Theology in Christendom by White, Andrew Dickson
Definitions 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.
