prejudicial Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective satellite (sometimes followed by `to') causing harm or injury
    detrimental; damaging; prejudicious.
    • damaging to career and reputation
    • the reporter's coverage resulted in prejudicial publicity for the defendant
  2. adjective tending to favor preconceived ideas
    prejudicious.
    • the presence of discriminatory or prejudicial attitudes in the white population

WordNet

Prej`u*di"cial adjective
Etymology
L. praejudicialis belonging to a preceding judgment: cf. F. préjudiciel.
Definitions
  1. Biased, possessed, or blinded by prejudices; as, to look with a prejudicial eye. Obs. Holyday.
  2. Tending to obstruct or impair; hurtful; injurious; disadvantageous; detrimental. Hooker.
    His going away . . . was most prejudicial and most ruinous to the king's affairs. Clarendon.
    -- Prej`u*di"cial*ly, adv. -- Prej`u*di"cial*ness, n.

Webster 1913