What does pernicious mean?
Word: Pernicious
Part of Speech: Adjective
Meaning: Pernicious means causing slow, steady harm that is easy to miss at first.
Synonyms: harmful, damaging
Antonyms: harmless
How do you spell pernicious?
Syllables: per - ni - cious
Tricky part: The sh sound near the end is spelt with a c, as in delicious. Pupils who spell by ear often write pernitious.
Watch out for: pernitious, pernishous
Memory tip: Delicious food, pernicious habits: the same ending, with the opposite effect on you.
Pernicious in a sentence
Example 1: Copying homework is a pernicious habit because the harm shows up only at exam time.
Example 2: Bindweed is a pernicious weed that slowly smothers the plants around it.
Example 3: Rumours can have a pernicious influence on friendships in a class.
Fun Fact
Gardeners have a special use for this word. A pernicious weed is a tough one that spreads by its roots, so pulling up the top of the plant rarely gets rid of it.
Practise the CREST Way
Word Cookie
Find the extra letter in the word:
pernnicious
a) i
b) c
c) r
d) n
Show answer
d) n. One n opens the stressed syllable, and doubling it adds nothing.
Mingle-Mangle
Unscramble the jumbled word in the sentence and choose it:
The ipuinsceor habit of leaving work until the last minute slowly spoiled his marks.
a) precious
b) pretentious
c) pernicious
d) propitious
Show answer
c) pernicious. A harmful habit is meant, and neither precious, pretentious nor propitious can be made from these letters.
Spell-o-Spell
Read the four words. Choose the meaning of the only correctly spelt word:
1. pernicious 2. exhilerate 3. pronounciation 4. acommodate
a) to fill someone with great excitement
b) the way in which a word is said
c) doing damage so quietly that it goes unnoticed
d) to provide a room or space for
Show answer
c) doing damage so quietly that it goes unnoticed. Accommodate needs a second c, exhilarate has an a after the l, and pronunciation has no o before its u.
Word Connection
Choose the antonym of the word pernicious as used in the sentence:
Constant comparison with classmates can have a pernicious effect on a child's confidence.
a) injurious
b) ruinous
c) destructive
d) beneficial
Show answer
d) beneficial. Something beneficial does you good.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Why might a teacher call gossip pernicious?
a) it takes up only a few minutes
b) it damages trust little by little
c) it is a lively way to share news
d) it helps people to speak clearly
Show answer
b) it damages trust little by little
2. What best shows a pernicious effect?
a) a ball that breaks a window in a flash
b) a spill that is wiped up within seconds
c) a leak that gradually rots a hidden beam
d) a gust that slams a door all at once
Show answer
c) a leak that gradually rots a hidden beam
