depravity
UK: dɪˈprævɪti | US: dɪˈprævɪti
n. moral corruption or wickedness
n. a morally corrupt or wicked act
depravity = de<down, away> + prav<crooked, wrong> + ity<noun suffix>
- de: Latin prefix meaning "down" or "away," often implying reversal or negation.
- prav: From Latin pravus, meaning "crooked, perverse, or wrong."
- ity: Noun-forming suffix indicating a state or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word depravity traces back to Latin depravare ("to distort, corrupt"), combining de- (intensifying "away from correctness") and pravus ("crooked"). Over time, it evolved in English to specifically denote moral corruption, reflecting the idea of deviation from ethical uprightness. The suffix -ity formalizes the abstract concept of this corrupted state.
The novel explores the depths of human depravity.
His actions revealed a shocking level of depravity.
Society often struggles to address systemic depravity.
The documentary exposed the depravity of the criminal underworld.
Laws exist to curb the depravity that threatens social order.