vermin

[ vur-min ]

/ ˈvɜr mɪn /

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See synonyms for vermin on Thesaurus.com

noun, plural ver·min.

noxious, objectionable, or disgusting animals collectively, especially those of small size that appear commonly and are difficult to control, as flies, lice, bedbugs, cockroaches, mice, and rats.

an objectionable or obnoxious person, or such persons collectively.

animals that prey upon game, as coyotes or weasels.

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Origin of vermin

1300–50; Middle English vermyne<Anglo-French, Middle French vermin, vermine<Vulgar Latin *verminum,*vermina, based on Latin vermin-;see verminate

Words nearby vermin

vermifuge, vermilion, vermilion border, vermilionectomy, vermilion rockfish, vermin, verminate, vermination, verminous, vermis, vermivorous

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

How to use vermin in a sentence

Without the beeps and whirs of a cellphone, you can use your ears to detect crickets, mice, or other vermin in your home.
Aubrey Plaza’s Great Disconnect|Aubrey Plaza|August 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The RIP offers a clear window into the intersection of poverty and vermin.
Crowdsourcing NYC’s War on Rats|Kevin Zawacki|June 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
“They kept the apartment filthy and they had vermin problems,” the neighbor says.
NY Couple Not Terrorists, Say Cops, Just Rich Kids With Drug Habits|Michael Daly, Lizzie Crocker|January 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Sandy may actually help the vermin spread diseases, as a matter of fact.
Hurricane Sandy Worsens N.Y. Rat Problem|Winston Ross|October 31, 2012|DAILY BEAST

If you thought Frankenstorm would rid Gotham of its vermin, think again.
Hurricane Sandy Worsens N.Y. Rat Problem|Winston Ross|October 31, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Others speak of vermin, noxious plants, or instances of uncleanliness.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness|Florence Hartley
The inhabitants were cowering upon the floor, playing with the children, or assisting one another to get rid of their vermin.
A Woman's Journey Round the World|Ida Pfeiffer
Athenæus assures us that he was carried, like a bird, in an iron cage until he was devoured by vermin.
A Philosophical Dictionary, Volume 1 (of 10)|Franois-Marie Arouet (AKA Voltaire)
Every instinct and habit made her a stranger among these poor swamp-people living like vermin in their lair.
Summer|Edith Wharton
Arrangements should be made for keeping the area clear of vermin and for ventilating and draining it.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3|Various

British Dictionary definitions for vermin

vermin

/ (ˈvɜːmɪn) /

noun

(functioning as plural) small animals collectively, esp insects and rodents, that are troublesome to man, domestic animals, etc

plural -min an unpleasant, obnoxious, or dangerous person

Word Origin for vermin

C13: from Old French vermine, from Latin vermis a worm

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 vermin

vermin

[ vûr′mĭn ]

n. pl. vermin

Any of various small animals or insects, such as rats or cockroaches, that are destructive, annoying, or injurious to health.

vermin

Origin of vermin

Words nearby vermin

Words related to vermin

How to use vermin in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for vermin

Word Origin for vermin

Medical definitions for vermin