adverse

C1 Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ˈæd.və(ɹ)s/ See IPA manual

Freq #22386

Meanings

1

adj
Bad or harmful; having a negative effect.

The drug can have adverse effects on some patients.
2

adj
Difficult or unfavourable; working against you.

The expedition continued despite the adverse weather conditions.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · bad or harmful; having a... inauspicious unfavorable

2 adj · difficult or unfavourable;... contrary

Opposites

proverse

Word family

Derived forms adversely adversenessnonadverse

Related forms adversaryadversativeadversity averse versus

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

adverse selection
a market problem in which unequal information affects who buys or sells a product

Adjective + noun

Simplified etymology

Adverse entered English in the late Middle English period and ultimately derives from Latin vertere, meaning “to turn.”

Etymology

First attested around 1374, from Old French avers (French adverse), from Latin adversus (“turned against”), past participle of advertere, from ad- (“to”) + vertere (“to turn”). See also versus.

*wert- Proto-Indo-European avers Old French adversus Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities

External links

# adverse

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ˈæd.və(ɹ)s/
**Frequency rank:** 22386

## Meanings
1. Bad or harmful; having a negative effect.
2. Difficult or unfavourable; working against you.

## Examples
- The drug can have adverse effects on some patients.
- The expedition continued despite the adverse weather conditions.

## Antonyms
- proverse

## Derived Forms
- adversely
- adverseness
- nonadverse

## Related Forms
- adversary
- adversative
- adversity
- averse
- versus

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: *wert-
- Root: avers
- Root: adversus

## Etymology
First attested around 1374, from Old French avers (French adverse), from Latin adversus (“turned against”), past participle of advertere, from ad- (“to”) + vertere (“to turn”). See also versus.

## AI Etymology
Adverse is first attested around 1374, from Old French avers (French adverse), from Latin adversus (“turned against”), past participle of advertere, from ad- (“to”) plus vertere (“to turn”). Compare versus. The historical line also includes Proto-Indo-European *wert-. The analysis is mainly morphological: the modern adjectival form is built from the named base and affix.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities

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