# pestiferous

> English word · Adjective · IPA /ˌpɛsˈtɪfəɹəs/

## Definitions
1. containing organisms that cause contagious diseases
2. annoying, vexatious

## Etymology
Mid 15th century, in sense “mischievous, pernicious”, from Latin pestiferus (“bearing plague”), from pestifer, from pestis (“plague”) + ferre (“carry”) (see infer).
By surface analysis, pest + -i- (“bearing, carrying”) + -ferous.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/pestiferous