injurious

Injurious is an adjective meaning causing harm or injury, or detrimental to health, safety, or reputation. It is used to describe something that inflicts damage or diminishes well-being. The word derives from Latin iniuria meaning injustice or injury, passed into English via Old French injurieux. It is commonly found in formal or technical writing, including medical, legal, and regulatory contexts.

In health and safety contexts, injurious is used in warnings and assessments. Phrases such as "injurious to health" or "injurious to the environment" indicate that exposure or activity may produce harmful effects. Regulatory agencies may classify substances, products, or practices as injurious, leading to restrictions or safety measures. In medical risk assessment, research evaluates whether a chemical exposure is injurious to patients or workers.

In legal and reputational contexts, injurious often refers to statements or acts that cause damage to a person's reputation or to the interests of a business. Legal phrases include "injurious to reputation" or "injurious falsehood." The term can appear in statutory language, case law, and complaint filings to denote harm that warrants remedy or protection.

Nuance and usage: Injurious implies direct or significant harm, rather than mere inconvenience. It tends to appear in formal or technical prose and is often interchangeable with deleterious or harmful, though with a connotation of injury or damage rather than abstract risk. The term is widely understood but relatively less common in ordinary conversation.