verminous

adjective

ver·​min·​ous ˈvər-mə-nəs How to pronounce verminous (audio)
1
: consisting of or being vermin : noxious
2
: forming a breeding place for or infested by vermin : filthy
verminous garbage
3
: caused by vermin
verminous disease

Examples of verminous in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Men, women and children languished there in conditions of almost unimaginable squalor, brutality, overcrowding, starvation, verminous infestation and neglect. —Patrick McGrath, New York Times, 28 June 2018

Word History

Etymology

vermin + -ous, probably originally after Latin verminōs "infested with maggots," from vermin- (base of vermināre "to be affected with griping pains, to be infested with maggots"—latter sense by false association with vermis "worm"—derivative of vermina "racking pains") + -ōsus -ose entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of verminous was circa 1616

Dictionary Entries Near verminous

vermination

verminous

vermiparous

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Verminous.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/verminous. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

Copy Citation

Share

Medical Definition

verminous

adjective
ver·​min·​ous ˈvər-mə-nəs How to pronounce verminous (audio)
1
: consisting of, infested with, or being vermin
2
: caused by parasitic worms
verminous gastritis

More from Merriam-Webster on verminous

Britannica English: Translation of verminous for Arabic Speakers

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See All

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Plural and Possessive Names: A Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See All

Popular in Wordplay

See All

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments

10 Words from Taylor Swift Songs (Merriam's Version)

9 Superb Owl Words

15 Words That Used to Mean Something Different
See All

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
sweet smart pug puppy dog sitting in front of blackboard with chalk question marks
Commonly Confused Words Quiz Vol. 3 Do you have a (flare/flair) for choosing the righ...