pestiferous meaning and definition

PESTIFEROUS adjective

Definition of pestiferous (adjective)

1. contaminated with infecting organisms
   • "dirty wounds"; "obliged to go into infected rooms"- Jane Austen
   • synonyms: dirty
2. likely to spread and cause an epidemic disease
   • "a pestilential malignancy in the air"- Jonathan Swift; "plaguey fevers"
   • synonyms: pestilent, pestilential, plaguey
3. tending to corrupt or pervert
   • synonyms: corruptive, perversive
4. causing irritation or annoyance
   • "tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork"; "aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport"; "found it galling to have to ask permission"; "an irritating delay"; "nettlesome paperwork"; "a pesky mosquito"; "swarms of pestering gnats"; "a plaguey newfangled safety catch"; "a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him"; "a vexatious child"; "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong"
   • synonyms: annoying, bothersome, galling, irritating, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, plaguey, plaguy, teasing, vexatious, vexing