Szkodliwa

Szkodliwa is the feminine singular form of the Polish adjective szkodliwy, meaning harmful or detrimental. It is used to describe something that can cause harm, damage health, or have negative consequences. The term appears in contexts such as substances, practices, or processes that pose risks or adverse effects.

In grammar, szkodliwa agrees with feminine nouns. For example, szkodliwa substancja (harmful substance), szkodliwa praktyka (harmful practice), or szkodliwa reklama (harmful advertising). The corresponding masculine form is szkodliwy (szkodliwy wpływ, szkodliwy czynnik), the neuter form is szkodliwe (szkodliwe działanie, szkodliwe skutki), and the plural is also szkodliwe in neutral or general references. This allows precise agreement with the gender and number of the noun it modifies.

Etymology and related terms: szkodliwa derives from the stem szkod-, linked to harm or damage, with the productive Polish suffix -liwy that forms adjectives indicating propensity or capability. Related words include szkoda (harm/damage), szkodliwość (harmfulness), and the verb szkodzić (to harm). Cognates appear in other Slavic languages, such as Czech škodlivý and Russian вредный (vredny), reflecting a common semantic heritage.

Context and usage: the term is common in health, toxicology, nutrition, environmental science, and public policy to denote substances, behaviors, or conditions that yield negative effects. It is typically paired with explicit nouns, for example, szkodliwy czynnik, szkodliwa działalność, or szkodliwy wpływ na zdrowie.