pest
noun /pest/
/pest/
- an insect or animal that destroys plants, food, etc.
- insect/plant/garden pests
- a pest control officer
- These birds provide a useful function in controlling insect pests.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- common
- major
- serious
- …
- control
- repel
- eradicate
- …
- control
- controller
- management
- …
- (informal) an annoying person or thing
- That child is being a real pest.
- Police are looking for a sex pest who is frightening late-night travellers.
Word Originlate 15th cent. (denoting the bubonic plague): from French peste or Latin pestis ‘plague’.