Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Flagitious
Fla-gi′tious
,Adj.
[L.
flagitiosus
, fr. flagitium
a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare
to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare
to burn, E. flagrant
.] 1.
Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; – said of acts, crimes, etc.
Debauched principles and
flagitious
practices. I. Taylor.
2.
Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; – said of persons.
Pope.
Fla-gi′tious-ly
, adv.
Fla-gi′tious-ness
, Noun.
A sentence so
flagitiously
unjust. Macaulay.
Webster 1828 Edition
Flagitious
FLAGI'TIOUS
,Adj.
1.
Deeply criminal; grossly wicked; villainous; atrocious; scandalous; as a flagitious action or crime.2.
Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; wicked; as a flagitious person.3.
Marked or infected with scandalous crimes or vices; as flagitious times.Definition 2024
flagitious
flagitious
English
Adjective
flagitious (comparative more flagitious, superlative most flagitious)
- (literary) (of people) Guilty of terrible crimes; wicked, criminal.
- 1716 Nov 7th, quoted from 1742, probably Alexander Pope, God's Revenge Against Punning, from Miscellanies, 3rd volume, page 227:
- This young Nobleman was not only a flagitious Punster himself, but was accessary to the Punning of others, by Consent, by Provocation, by Connivance, and by Defence of the Evil committed […].
- 1716 Nov 7th, quoted from 1742, probably Alexander Pope, God's Revenge Against Punning, from Miscellanies, 3rd volume, page 227:
- (literary) Extremely brutal or wicked; heinous, monstrous.
- 1959 (1985), Rex Stout, "Assault on a Brownstone", Death Times Three, page 186:
- As he entered he boomed: "Monstrous! Flagitious!"
- 1959 (1985), Rex Stout, "Assault on a Brownstone", Death Times Three, page 186:
Synonyms
- (extremely brutal or cruel): infamous, scandalous, nefarious, iniquitous