Added 8 October 2026
pest
/pɛst/ noun
Latin root: pestis Wiktionary
noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about pest at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A pestilence, i.e. a deadly epidemic, a deadly plague.
- Any destructive insect that attacks crops or livestock; an agricultural pest.
- An annoying person, a nuisance.
Origin
In the 16th century in the sense of "pestilence" and specifically bubonic plague from Middle French peste (“pestilence”) (whence French peste). The other meanings are recorded soon after. Ultimately from Latin pestis.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)