atrocious
UK: əˈtrəʊʃəs | US: əˈtroʊʃəs
adj. extremely cruel, brutal, or horrifying
adj. shockingly bad or unpleasant
atrocious = atro<cruel> + cious<adjective suffix>
- atro (from Latin atrox, meaning "fierce, cruel, terrible")
- cious (adjective-forming suffix, from Latin -ciosus, indicating "full of" or "characterized by")
Etymology Origin:
The word atrocious traces back to the Latin atrox, which originally described something "savage" or "darkly violent" (from ater, "black," suggesting darkness in behavior). Over time, it evolved in English to emphasize extreme cruelty or, more colloquially, something shockingly bad (e.g., "atrocious weather"). The suffix -cious amplifies the root’s intensity, creating a vivid descriptor for moral or qualitative extremes.
The dictator’s atrocious acts left the nation in despair.
Her handwriting was so atrocious that no one could read it.
The film’s plot was atrocious, despite its high budget.
Survivors recounted the atrocious conditions of the prison camp.
Critics called the restaurant’s service atrocious and unprofessional.