deleterious
[ del-i-teer-ee-uhs ]
/ ˌdɛl ɪˈtɪər i əs /
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adjective
injurious to health: deleterious gases.
harmful; injurious: deleterious influences.
OTHER WORDS FOR deleterious
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Origin of deleterious
1635–45; <Greek dēlētḗrios destructive, adj. derivative of dēlētḗr destroyer, equivalent to dēlē- variant stem of dēleîsthai to hurt, injure + -tēr agent suffix + -ios adj. suffix; see -ious
OTHER WORDS FROM deleterious
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use deleterious in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for deleterious
deleterious
/ (ˌdɛlɪˈtɪərɪəs) /
adjective
harmful; injurious; hurtful
Derived forms of deleterious
deleteriously, adverbdeleteriousness, nounWord Origin for deleterious
C17: from New Latin dēlētērius, from Greek dēlētērios injurious, destructive, from dēleisthai to hurt
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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