Wordwyrt

infest

/ˌɪnˈfest/in-FEST
/ˌɪnˈfɛst/in-FEST

Meaningto attack, trouble

Common meaning: be present in large troublesome numbers

Journey through time

  1. Aryan root · reconstructed√DHAN‘strike’No written record; from Skeat’s list of Aryan roots, no. 164, p. 735 · scan
  2. Latininfestare‘to attack, trouble’source
  3. Frenchinfester‘to infest’source
  4. Englishmeaning shiftsto attack, trouble → be present in large troublesome numbersinfest‘be present in large troublesome numbers’ · today

Sources & notes

Meaning: “Meaning” is the sense that emerges from the word’s roots; “Common meaning” is today’s everyday sense. Both written by us.

Pronunciation

  • UK IPA: converted from the US form by rule (unchecked). Respelling: generated.
  • No UK recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-GB voice.
  • US IPA: CMUdict (BSD-2), converted to IPA by rule. Respelling: generated.
  • No US recording; the speaker uses your device’s en-US voice.

Origin: Built on Latin infestare ‘to attack, trouble’.

Roots

Building blocks are an automatic split · open in app