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.
Sato, who could not be reached for comment, recalled his perilous journey to Hawaii News Now, the first news outlet to report the story.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
"The ministry continues to receive heartbreaking calls from Batswana already on the frontline, describing the perilous conditions they face."
From Barron's ● Jul. 18, 2026
But with all land routes cut from Rakhine to the rest of Myanmar, their escape must always start with a perilous sea journey.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
It’s nice to hear some honesty about the city’s perilous finances.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026
I glance down, check that my brakes are on, and rise carefully, steadying myself on the wheelchair’s arm while making the perilous transfer to the walker.
From "Water for Elephants" by Sara Gruen
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.
