vermin

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English vermyn, vermyne, from Old French vermine, from Vulgar Latin *verminum (vermin), collective noun formed from Latin vermis (worm). See also worm.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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vermin (countable and uncountable, plural vermin or vermins)

  1. Any of various common types of small insects or other animals which cause harm and annoyance. [from c. 1300]
    The area was plagued by all sorts of vermin: fleas, lice, mice, and rats to name a few.
    • 1903, Harry de Windt, “The Great Lena Post Road”, in From Paris to New York by Land, New York, N.Y.: Frederick Warne & Co. [], published 1904, →OCLC, part I (Europe and Asia), page 27:
      Vermin was everywhere; night and day it crawled gaily over the walls and ceiling, about our bodies, and into our very food, and, although the subject did not interest us, a naturalist would have delighted in the ever-changing varieties of insect life.
  2. An animal that preys on game, such as a fox or a weasel.
  3. An obnoxious or mean and offensive person. [from 1560s]
    Bring these vermin to the Palace of Justice.

Usage notes

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  • The singular form "a vermin" is now rarely encountered, and the word is generally used as a plural.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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Anagrams

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