pesky
adjective

- causing trouble; annoying

- troublesome, vexatious

- causing a great deal of trouble; worrying, upsetting, or annoying

Cambridge Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, Collins Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

The word "pesky" has an interesting etymology that dates back to New England in the early 19th century.

"Pesky" first appeared in American English around 1775-1825. It's believed to be derived from the word "pest", which comes from the Latin pestis meaning "plague" or "contagion."

The transformation from "pest" to "pesky" likely occurred through the addition of the adjectival suffix "-y" (meaning "characterized by" or "tending to"), with the "-k-" possibly inserted for phonetic reasons or as a diminutive form.

"Pesky" was originally used primarily in New England regional dialect to describe something annoying or troublesome but in a relatively minor way - like pesky mosquitoes or a pesky problem. Over time, it spread throughout American English and then to other English-speaking regions.

The word has maintained its meaning remarkably consistently over the centuries, still referring to something irritating but not severely problematic - capturing that perfect level of mild annoyance.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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PESKY PHRASES


These phrases illustrate how pesky is used to convey irritation or frustration in a lighthearted manner:

- Pesky details = refers to small, annoying aspects of a situation

- Pesky problems = describes persistent, minor issues

- Pesky insects = commonly used to describe annoying bugs like flies or mosquitoes

Pesky problems are rarely headline-worthy, but they’re often the ones killing our efficiency.

That’s the thing about the pesky: it’s persistent, subtle, and systemic. If it recurs, it matters. The question is whether we’ll fix it now or pay for it later.

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

aggravating, annoying, bothersome, burdensome, disagreeable, disturbing, exasperating, galling, infuriating, irksome, maddening, meddlesome, nettlesome, niggling, obnoxious,  PESKY, pestering, tiresome, tormenting, troubling, troublesome, trying, vexatious, vexing

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ANTONYMS

adorable, agreeable, appealing, assuaging, beneficial, calming, charming, comforting, delightful, enjoyable, helpful, likable, lovable, nice, obliging, peaceful, pleasant, pleasing, rewarding, soothing, supportive, sweet, welcome

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation today, say something like:

“Good grief!… we’ve got this PESKY jour fixe again today.”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D

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