Writers about science, health and history need exact words for harm: harm that is quick or slow, open or hidden, to the body or to a plan. They also need a few words for the opposite, the things that do us good.
Key idea
Harmful in general: detrimental, deleterious. Poison and fumes: toxic, noxious. Hidden or slow harm: pernicious, insidious. Fierce harm: virulent. Unfriendly: inimical. Good for you: salutary (a helpful effect), salubrious (healthful).
Two Latin roots help: salus means health (salutary, salubrious), and amicus means friend, so inimical (in- + amicus) means unfriendly.
The ten words
Common mistake
salutary (beneficial) has nothing to do with saluting; salubrious means healthful. noxious fumes harm; obnoxious people annoy.
| word | kind of harm (or good) |
|---|---|
| detrimental, deleterious | harmful in general (deleterious often not obvious at first) |
| toxic, noxious | poisonous; harmful to health (noxious fumes) |
| pernicious, insidious | slow, hidden harm (insidious creeps in secretly) |
| virulent | fierce and severe (a virulent disease, virulent words) |
| inimical | unfriendly, working against (from in- + amicus) |
| salutary | has a good effect, often a hard lesson |
| salubrious | good for health (a salubrious climate) |
Noxious fumes harm you; an obnoxious person only annoys you. And salutary (good for you) has nothing to do with saluting today.