Obnoxious
Pronunciation
- RP IPA: /əbˈnɒkʃəs/
- GenAm IPA: /əbˈnɑkʃəs/
Alternative forms
- obnoctious obsolete
Origin
From Latin obnoxiÅsus ("hurtful, injurious, dangerous"), from obnoxius ("punishable; liable to danger"), from ob ("against; facing") + noxia ("hurt, injury, damage").
Full definition of obnoxious
Adjective
obnoxious
- Extremely unpleasant, offensive, very annoying, odious or contemptible.He was an especially obnoxious and detestable specimen of a man.Throwing stones at the bus is another example of your obnoxious behaviour.
- (archaic) exposed to harm or injury.
- 1661, Robert Boyle, , page 26,To begin then with his Experiment of the burning Wood, it seems to me to be obnoxious to not a few considerable Exceptions.