harm

Pronunciation: /hɑɹm/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: B1 — Intermediate

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun any physical damage to the body caused by violence or accident or fracture etc.
  2. noun the occurrence of a change for the worse
  3. noun the act of damaging something or someone

Etymology

From Middle English harm, herm, from Old English hearm, from Proto-West Germanic *harm, from Proto-Germanic *harmaz (“harm; shame; pain”). Cognate with Dutch harm (“harm”), German Harm (“harm”), Danish harme (“indignation, resentment”), Icelandic harmur (“sorrow, grief”), Swedish harm (“anger, indignation, harm”).

In classic literature

Synonyms

injury, hurt, trauma

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
ill health
Narrower (hyponyms)
birth trauma, pinch, dislocation, strain, burn, sting

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