pest
[ pest ]
/ pɛst /
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noun
an annoying or troublesome person, animal, or thing; nuisance.
an insect or other small animal that harms or destroys garden plants, trees, etc.
a deadly epidemic disease, especially a plague; pestilence.
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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
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Origin of pest
First recorded in 1545–55, pest is from the Latin word pestis plague
OTHER WORDS FROM pest
de-pest, verb (used with object)Words nearby pest
pessary, pessimism, pessimist, pessimistic, Pessoa, pest, Pestalozzi, pester, pester power, pesthole, pesthouse
Definition for pest (2 of 2)
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for pest
British Dictionary definitions for pest
pest
/ (pɛst) /
noun
a person or thing that annoys, esp by imposing itself when it is not wanted; nuisance
- any organism that damages crops, injures or irritates livestock or man, or reduces the fertility of land
- (as modifier)pest control
rare an epidemic disease or pestilence
Word Origin for pest
C16: from Latin pestis plague, of obscure origin
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
Medical definitions for pest
pest
[ pĕst ]
n.
An injurious plant or animal, especially one harmful to humans.
A deadly epidemic disease; a pestilence.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.