deleterious

Summary

Podcast Summary: Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Episode Title: "deleterious"
Date: June 9, 2026
Host: Peter Sokolowski (for Merriam-Webster)

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Overview

This episode spotlights the word deleterious, offering listeners a deep dive into its definition, origins, usage, and examples from popular culture. The goal is to expand vocabulary by exploring not just what deleterious means, but how and where it’s used, focusing on its subtle and often unexpected nature.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Definition and Usage

• Deleterious (adjective):

  • Meaning: Damaging or harmful, typically in a subtle or unexpected way.
  • Usage Example:
    • “Canceling email addresses used by alumni over many years could have deleterious consequences for professional networking, which will become increasingly important as the AI rollout accelerates and disrupts careers for thousands of college graduates.” [00:33]

• Explanation:

  • The host draws a contrast between the immediate effect of the "delete" key and the hidden, slow-acting nature of "deleterious" effects, emphasizing that the harm caused is often not immediately apparent.
  • “Deleterious effects, however, are often not so obvious.” [00:52]

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Etymology and Rarity

• Origin:
  • The word traces back to a Greek root meaning ‘to hurt’.
• Formality:
  • “Although most often used in formal speech and writing, deleterious is far from rare.” [01:06]

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Cultural and Media References

• Film and Television:
  • The host cites appearances of “deleterious” in pop culture, typically spoken by intellectually-inclined characters:
    • Star Trek: Voyager:
      • “...as when Seven of Nine warns the Doctor... ‘The nebula is having a deleterious effect on the ship’s technology.’” [01:17]
    • Magnum P.I.:
      • “Or when Higgins exclaims in the original Magnum PI series, ‘It’s shocking what a deleterious effect a regimen of nothing but mushrooms can have on a man.’” [01:31]
  • The host humorously adds, “We’ll take your word for it, Higgins, with your Word of the Day.” [01:41]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Subtlety of Harm:

  • “When you hold down the delete key on your keyboard or touchscreen, the effect—whoosh—is instantaneous. Deleterious effects, however, are often not so obvious.” — Peter Sokolowski [00:47]

• Etymology Highlight:

  • “Deleterious, ultimately from a Greek word meaning to hurt, is used to describe things that are harmful in ways that are unexpected, slow-acting, or not readily apparent.” — Peter Sokolowski [00:56]

• Pop Culture:

  • “‘The nebula is having a deleterious effect on the ship’s technology.’” — Seven of Nine (cited by Peter Sokolowski) [01:17]
  • “‘It’s shocking what a deleterious effect a regimen of nothing but mushrooms can have on a man.’” — Higgins (cited by Peter Sokolowski) [01:31]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:33]: Introduction of “deleterious,” spelling, and careful explanation with a real-world example.
• [00:47]: Distinction between obvious and less-obvious effects; metaphor of the delete key vs. deleterious consequences.
• [01:06]: Discussion on formality and frequency of usage.
• [01:17]: Pop culture examples from “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Magnum P.I.”
• [01:41]: Light-hearted signoff referencing the pop culture example.

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Additional Resources

• Listeners are encouraged to visit merriam-webster.com for more definitions, word games, and trending word lookups. [02:15]

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This concise and lively episode leaves listeners with a strong understanding of “deleterious,” from its definition and roots to how it can be used—in both formal contexts and favorite TV shows.

Transcript

[A]

Foreign. It's the Word of the Day for June 9th.

[B]

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[A]

Today's word is deleterious, spelled D E L E T E R I O U S Deleterious is an adjective. It's a word used in formal speech and writing to describe something that is damaging or harmful, usually in a subtle or unexpected way. Here's the word used in a sentence from nola.com canceling email addresses used by alumni over many years could have deleterious consequences for professional networking, which will become increasingly important as the AI rollout accelerates and disrupts careers for thousands of college graduates. When you hold down the delete key on your keyboard or touch screen, the effect whoosh is instantaneous. Deleterious effects, however, are often not so obvious. Deleterious, ultimately from a Greek word meaning to hurt, is used to describe things that are harmful in ways that are unexpected, slow acting or not readily apparent. Although most often used in formal speech and writing, deleterious is far from rare. It even pops up from time to time in film and television, especially from the mouths of wonky characters, as when Seven of Nine warns the Doctor in an episode of Star Voyager, the nebula is having a deleterious effect on the ship's technology. Or when Higgins exclaims in the original Magnum PI Series, it's shocking what a deleterious effect a regimen of nothing but mushrooms can have on a man. We'll take your word for it, Higgins, with your word of the day. I'm Peter Sokolowski.

[C]

Visit merriam webster.com today for definitions, wordplay and trending word lookups.