How to pronounce pernicious
Say it like per-NISH-us. Pernicious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NISH).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce pernicious. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- per
- NISH
- us
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Pernicious pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- perKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "er" in butter.
- NISHSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- usKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of pernicious
- Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead.
British respelling: puh-NISH-us.
What does pernicious mean?
- Causing much harm in a subtle way.“pernicious influence”
- Causing death or injury; deadly.
- Insidiously villainous: intending to cause harm, especially in a subtle way.
Where does pernicious come from?
From Middle English, from Old French pernicios, from Latin perniciōsus (“destructive”), from perniciēs (“destruction”), from per (“through”) + nex (“slaughter, death”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with pernicious
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of pernicious.
Questions about saying pernicious
How do you pronounce pernicious?
Say per-NISH-us. The American pronunciation is /pɚˈnɪʃəs/. In British English it is /pəˈnɪʃəs/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in pernicious?
Pernicious has three syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (NISH). Broken into parts: per · NISH · us.
Is pernicious pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. Americans pronounce the r after a vowel; most British speakers leave it silent and lengthen the vowel instead. The British form is /pəˈnɪʃəs/ (puh-NISH-us).