nefastas

Nefastas is the feminine plural form of the Spanish adjective nefasto, used to describe events, actions, or phenomena that have harmful, pernicious, or disastrous consequences. It commonly appears in formal or literary contexts and can modify feminine nouns, for example: “consecuencias nefastas” or “acciones nefastas.”

Etymology and meaning: The term derives from Latin nefastus, meaning forbidden by divine law or impious, itself related to nefas (violation of divine law) and fas (that which is divinely permitted). Through medieval Latin, nefastus evolved into the Spanish nefasto, with nefastas serving as the feminine plural form. The sense in modern Spanish emphasizes harmfulness or misfortune, sometimes with a moral or ethical dimension.

Usage and nuance: In contemporary Spanish, nefasto and its feminine/neon forms are commonly used in formal writing, journalism, and literature to convey strong negative judgment about outcomes or forces. Collocations include “consecuencias nefastas,” “efectos nefastos,” “poder nefasto,” and “impacto nefasto.” While synonyms such as pernicioso, dañino, or maligno convey similar ideas, nefasto tends to carry a weightier or more doom-laden connotation.

See also: nefasto, nefas, fas, Latin roots related to divine law, and terms conveying moral judgment about harm or disaster in Spanish.