insidious

One entry found for insidious.

Main Entry: in·sid·i·ous
Pronunciation: in-'si-dE-&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin insidiosus, from insidiae ambush, from insidEre to sit in, sit on, from in- + sedEre to sit -- more at SIT
1 a : awaiting a chance to entrap : TREACHEROUS b : harmful but enticing : SEDUCTIVE <insidious drugs>
2 a : having a gradual and cumulative effect : SUBTLE <the insidious pressures of modern life> b of a disease : developing so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent
- in·sid·i·ous·ly adverb
- in·sid·i·ous·ness noun