infestar

Infestar is a verb used in Spanish and Portuguese to describe the act of causing or experiencing an infestation. It commonly refers to pests such as insects, rodents, or parasites that occupy a host or environment, but it can also be used in a broader sense to indicate something undesirable that spreads or overrun an area. The related noun forms are infestation in Spanish (infestación) and infestation in Portuguese (infestação). The participial adjective forms infestado/infestada in Portuguese and infestado/infestada in Spanish describe a state resulting from infestation.

Etymology and cognates: Infestar derives from Latin infestare, a term used across several Romance languages to express harassing or threatening presence, often by pests or other invading agents. Cognates appear in related languages, reflecting a common Latin root that emphasizes unwanted intrusion or harassment.

Usage and contexts: In ecology and public health, infestar denotes the spread of pests within a host or environment, such as a crop field or a building. In agriculture and storage, it describes pest populations that invade and damage yield or product quality. In everyday language, infestar can be used metaphorically to convey that a place or system is overwhelmed by a troublesome presence, such as rumors, insects in a facility, or other pervasive problems.

See also: infestation, pest, invasion.