perilous

the word perilous has a direct lineage from latin, entering english via anglo-norman and old french. its core, 'peril', originates from the latin noun periculum, meaning 'danger, risk, or an attempt', which itself may derive from a root meaning 'to try' or 'to risk'. the suffix '-ous', from latin -osus, is a prolific adjective-forming element denoting possession or abundance. therefore, the literal construction 'perilous' logically means 'full of peril', a sense that has remained stable from its medieval usage to its modern application describing hazardous situations.

Structure: peril (danger) + ous (adjective suffix) peril (from latin periculum, meaning danger, risk, trial); ous (from latin -osus, a suffix forming adjectives meaning 'full of' or 'characterized by').