pervert
pervert Lexical Profile
pervert Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To alter something from its original, proper, or intended meaning, course, or state into a distorted or corrupted form.
"The defense attorney accused the witness of lying under oath to pervert the course of justice."
To lead someone away from right conduct, moral integrity, or sound belief; to corrupt or debase.
"Socrates was famously put on trial in Athens on charges of seeking to pervert the minds of the city's youth."
• noun
A person whose sexual behavior or inclinations are regarded as abnormal, deviant, or unacceptable.
"The tabloid press sensationalized the trial, labeling the defendant a moral degenerate and a pervert."
Word Nuance & Usage
"Pervert" is a classic English heteronym: as a verb, stress falls on the second syllable (/pərˈvɜːrt/), whereas as a noun, stress falls on the first syllable (/ˈpɜːrvɜːrt/). Furthermore, the verb is commonly used in formal legal contexts (such as "to pervert the course of justice"), while the noun is strongly pejorative and informal.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 14th century from Old French pervertir, from Latin pervertere ("to overthrow, corrupt, or turn the wrong way"), formed from per- ("away, to ill effect") and vertere ("to turn").