neci-, nici-

A reference to being mutually destructive, ruinous, or fatal to both sides of an organization or group: So many interneciary remarks have been made against each other during meetings of the organization that it probably will not continue to exist.

Relating to a struggle within a nation, an organization, or a group: The internecinal leaders in the country indicate that there may be very little chance of a united government in the near future.

1. Descriptive of denouncements which damage or injure participants on both sides of a conflict or contention: The presidential candidates have been hurling internecine accusations at each other.
2. Characterized by bloodshed or carnage: In Syria, there has been a brutal internecine war going on that has harmed millions of people.
3. Concerning a dispute that can tear an organization apart: The political party has been suffering because of bitter internecine disagreements.
4. Etymology: "deadly, destructive," from Latin internecinus, "very deadly, murderous, destructive"; from internecare, "to kill or to destroy"; from inter-, "among, between" + necare, "to kill".

The original meaning of internecine is "attended by great slaughter".

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Total destruction; perdition; ruin: The preacher, Mr. Cole, told his congregation that they could face pernicion if they didn't get God's forgiveness for their sins or for the bad things that they have done.

In medicine, a term applied to a condition which is apparently, but not necessarily, malignant: Kate was told that her illness might be a perniciosiform, but that there was nothing to worry about at the time.

The quality of being deadly and calamitous: The perniciosity of some diseases; such as, Ebola, have been causing many deaths around the world.

1. A reference to causing great harm, destruction, or death: Tabitha is going to get revenge on the man who insulted her with a pernicious act that will hurt him very much without him knowing who did it.
2. Descriptive of being very wicked, dangerous, or harmful in a way that is neither easily seen nor noticed: There are some people who do pernicious things to others either for the fun of it or simply to get a thrill out of seeing them suffer.
3. Etymology: from Latin perniciosus, "destructive", which came from pernicies, "destruction, death, ruin"; from per-, "completely" + necis, "violent death, murder". © ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.

Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more Mickey Bach illustrations.

A severe disorder of blood, found mostly in older adults, that results from the body's inability to absorb vitamin B12 which is essential for normal red blood cell production in the bone marrow: Symptoms of pernicious anemia include weakness, breathing difficulties, and weight loss and those who have the illness do not produce the substance called "intrinsic factor" in the stomach, which allows the body to absorb the vitamin which is also essential for normal nerve cell development.

The forcible ejection of the contents of a woman's stomach through the mouth: Pernicious vomiting during pregnancy can be so severe as to threaten a woman's life.

1. In a manner that is destructively, ruinously or wickedly performed: Gertrude thinks that some television programs have a perniciously negative influence on her children.
2. Deadly; fatal: There has been a perniciously dangerous disease spreading throughout the local community.

1. A condition of serious harmfulness or deadliness: Malaria is still considered a fatal perniciousness for many people around the world.
2. That which is very injurious and disastrous: The perniciousness of terrorist attacks in the Middle East is obviously a terrible thing for too many people.