Vermin

A wild rabbit – considered a pest by many, due to its destruction of farm crops

Vermin (colloquially varmint(s)[1] or varmit(s)) are pests or nuisance animals that spread diseases and destroy crops, livestock, and property. Since the term is defined in relation to human activities, which species are included vary by region and enterprise.

The term derives from the Latin vermis (worm), and was originally used for the worm-like larvae of certain insects, many of which infest foodstuffs.[2] The term varmint (and vermint) has been found in sources from c. 1530–1540s.[1][3]

  1. ^ a b "Varmint definition". Dictionary.com. Retrieved 5 January 2012. Origin: 1530–40; var. of vermin
  2. ^ "Vermin". Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. Britannica Publishing. Retrieved 13 December 2006.
  3. ^ "Vermint" cited in England in 1539, Oxford English Dictionary, 2nd ed