vermin

[ vur-min ]

/ ˈvɜr mɪn /

SEE MORE 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.

Nearby words

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

Origin of vermin

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

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for vermin

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
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

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
In order to avoid unnecessary bloodshed however, he proposes a more peaceful means of ridding the German people of "these vermin."
Creed And Deed|Felix Adler
Toads are among the best friends the gardener has; for they live almost exclusively on the most destructive kinds of vermin.
Mrs. Hale's Receipts for the Million|Sarah Josepha Hale
Thanks to this precaution, there is not a trace of vermin to be found in the camp.
Turkish Prisoners in Egypt|Various
Their captives must either stand, or lie down on the filthy floors, among dirt and vermin.
The Great Round World And What Is Going On In It, April 1, 1897 Vol. 1. No. 21|Various
On lighting a match and inspecting the ruins, I came to the conclusion that the bed had been undermined by vermin—that was all.
Albania|E. F. Knight

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

Medicine 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

noun, plural ver·min.

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Nearby words

Origin of vermin

Examples from the Web for vermin

British Dictionary definitions for vermin

vermin

noun

Word Origin for vermin

Medicine definitions for vermin

vermin

n. pl. vermin