verminous

Verminous is an adjective used to describe something that is infested with vermin or that resembles vermin. The primary sense refers to literal pests such as rats, mice, insects, or other creatures that infest a place. A verminous environment is typically dirty, unhygienic, or neglected, and the term can convey a strong, sometimes sensational, sense of repulsiveness.

A secondary, figurative sense characterizes places or conditions as being foul, squalid, or thoroughly degraded, even when no actual vermin are present. In literature and historical writing, verminous description often appears in accounts of crowded urban areas, ships, battlefields, or poverty-stricken settings, where it serves to emphasize filth, danger, or moral decay.

Etymology: Verminous derives from vermin, with the adjectival suffix -ous. The word vermin itself comes from Old French vermin and ultimately from Latin verminus, meaning worm, pest, or harmful animal. The form verminous has been in use since the early modern period and remains a formal or emphatic descriptor in many contexts.

Usage notes: The term carries strong negative connotations and can be pejorative or dehumanizing if applied to people. In contemporary usage, it is more commonly used of environments, conditions, or nonhuman pests, and more precise language is often preferred in scientific or formal writing.

See also: vermin, vermin-infested, vermin-ridden, pest, filth.