Detrimental
/ˌdɛtrɪˈmɛntəl/noun
Causing harm, damage, or disadvantage.
Did you know?Detrimental entered English through Latin and French legal language, where words for harm and injury were used to describe real financial and bodily damage.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
detrimentum
“harm, loss, damage”
Latin
Latin
deterere
“to wear away, rub down”
Old French
Old French
detrimental
“causing harm or injury”
Late Middle English
English
detrimental
“harmful, injurious”
Modern English
English
detrimental
“causing harm or disadvantage”
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