pest

¹

[pest]

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

Pest

²

[pest, pesht]

noun

1. Budapest

pest

/ 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

Other Word Forms

• de-pest verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of pest¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of pest¹

C16: from Latin pestis plague, of obscure origin

Example Sentences

Partly because he treated us kids like miniature adults; not prodigies, not pests, just small people doing something brave together.

Read more on Salon

The study also underscores the role of varroa mites, parasitic pests that spread many of the viruses tied to queen failure.

Read more on Science Daily

Hazardous pesticides — and sensitive data from customers who trusted a trio of pest control companies, including Orkin — allegedly wound up in the regular trash.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Their ability to thrive in both wild and urban settings has left them occupying an unusual space in American life - beloved pet in some neighbourhoods, persistent pest in others.

Read more on BBC

"Cardamom is a very delicate plant - prone to diseases and pest attacks. You have to be constantly in the field, watching every leaf, every flower. It demands attention every single day," says Mr Pothan.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

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