sordid
UK: ˈsɔːdɪd | US: ˈsɔːrdɪd
adj. 1. morally degraded; dirty or squalid
adj. 2. involving ignoble actions or motives; vile
adj. 3. (archaic) filthy or physically repulsive
sordid = sord<dirt> + id<adjective suffix>
- sord (from Latin sordidus, meaning "dirty, foul, base")
- id (Latin adjectival suffix indicating state or quality)
Etymology Origin:
The word sordid traces back to Latin sordidus, derived from sordes (filth, dirt). It originally described physical filth but evolved metaphorically to denote moral degradation or ignoble behavior. The suffix -id reinforces its adjectival form, preserving the sense of "marked by dirtiness" in both literal and figurative contexts.
The journalist uncovered the sordid details of the corruption scandal.
They lived in a sordid apartment with broken windows and peeling paint.
His sordid past made it difficult for him to gain public trust.
The novel exposes the sordid underbelly of urban poverty.
She refused to engage in the sordid gossip circulating the office.