noxious
harmful or poisonous
Roots
- -ous / -ious: full of or marked by a quality
- noc / nox: harm
Other words with the noc / nox root
Noxious keeps the harm idea with a poisonous edge: fumes, habits, or influences that damage what they touch.
The noxious fumes forced the lab to close for the afternoon.
Noxious is harm you want distance from. It often feels physical, like fumes or poison, but it can also describe a noxious influence, idea, or atmosphere.