different between deleterious vs woeful

English

Etymology

From Medieval Latin deleterius, from Ancient Greek ?????????? (d?l?t?rios, “noxious, deleterious”), from ??????? (d?l?t?r, “a destroyer”), from ???????? (d?léomai, “I hurt, damage, spoil, waste”), 1640s.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?d?l??t???i.?s/, /?d?l??t???i.?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?d?l??t??i.?s/
• Rhymes: -??ri?s

Adjective

deleterious (comparative more deleterious, superlative most deleterious)

1. Harmful often in a subtle or unexpected way.

   Synonyms: destructive, harmful, hurtful, injurious, noxious, pernicious; see also Thesaurus:harmful
2. (genetics) having lower fitness.

Derived terms

• deleteriously
• deleteriousness

Related terms

• delete
• deletion
• deletory

Translations

Further reading

• deleterious at OneLook Dictionary Search
• deleterious in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• Douglas Harper (2001–2021) , “deleterious”, in Online Etymology Dictionary

References

English

Alternative forms

• (obsolete) woful, wofull

Etymology

From Middle English woful, waful, equivalent to woe +? -ful. Compare Old English w?l?? (“woeful”), Old English t?onful (“woeful”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /?w??f?l/

Adjective

woeful (comparative woefuller, superlative woefullest)

1. Full of woe; sorrowful; distressed with grief or calamity.

   • How many woeful widows left to bow / To sad disgrace!

2. Bringing calamity, distress, or affliction.

   a woeful event

   a woeful lack of restraint

3. Lamentable, deplorable.
4. Wretched; paltry; poor.

Derived terms

• woefully
• woefulness

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:lamentable