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pervasive

[ per-vey-siv ]
/ pərˈveɪ sɪv /
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See synonyms for: pervasive / pervasiveness on Thesaurus.com

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

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

OTHER WORDS FROM pervasive

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use pervasive in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for pervasive

pervasive
/ (pɜːˈveɪsɪv) /

adjective
pervading or tending to pervade

Derived forms of pervasive

pervasively, adverbpervasiveness, noun

Word Origin for pervasive

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