Meaning of infest in English

1. Pronunciation

   /ɪnˈfɛst/

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   UK accent

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1. Verb

   infest

   Etymology

   late Middle English (in the sense ‘torment, harass’): from French infester or Latin infestare‘assail’, from infestus‘hostile’. The current sense dates from the mid 16th century

   Definitions

   1. invade in great numbers

   Examples

   • « the roaches infested our kitchen »
2. 2. occupy in large numbers or live on a host

   Examples

   • « the Kudzu plant infests much of the South and is spreading to the North »
3. 3. live on or in a host, as of parasites