Meaning of infest in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /ɪnˈfɛst/

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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 »

    Derived terms

  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 »

    Derived terms

  3. 3. live on or in a host, as of parasites

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