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Webster 1913 Edition

Hideous

Hid′e-ous

(hĭd′ē̍-ŭs; 277)
,
Adj.
[OE.
hidous
, OF.
hidous
,
hidos
,
hidus
,
hisdos
,
hisdous
, F.
hideux
: cf. OF.
hide
,
hisde
, fright; of uncertain origin; cf. OHG.
egidī
horror, or L.
hispidosus
, for
hispidus
rough, bristly, E.
hispid
.]
1.
Frightful, shocking, or offensive to the eyes; dreadful to behold;
as, a
hideous
monster;
hideous
looks
.
“A piteous and hideous spectacle.”
Macaulay.
2.
Distressing or offensive to the ear; exciting terror or dismay;
as, a
hideous
noise
.
“Hideous cries.”
Shak.
–
Hid′e-ous-ly
,
adv.
–
Hid′e-ous-ness
,
Noun.

Webster 1828 Edition

Hideous

HID'EOUS

, a.
1.
Frightful to the sight; dreadful; shocking to the eye; applied to deformity; as a hideous monster; a hideous spectacle; hideous looks.
2.
Shocking to the ear; exciting terror; as a hideous noise.
3.
Detestable.

Definition 2025

hideous

hideous

English

Adjective

hideous ‎(comparative more hideous, superlative most hideous)

  1. Extremely or shockingly ugly.
    A piteous and hideous spectacle.
  2. Having a very unpleasant or frightening sound
    • 1719, Daniel Defoe, Robinson Crusoe
      He started up, growling at first, but finding his leg broken, fell down again; and then got upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard.
  3. Hateful; shocking.
    Sure, you have some hideous matter to deliver. - William Shakespeare

Usage notes

  • Nouns to which "hideous" is often applied: monster, creature, man, face, thing, crime, form, death, aspect, spectacle, picture, roar, sound, manner, way, disease, mistake, shape, dress, fact, act, smile.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology

From Middle English hidous, from Anglo-Norman hidous, from Old French hideus, hydus ‎(“that which inspires terror”), from earlier hisdos, from hisda ‎(“horror, fear”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Probably from Frankish *egisda, *egisida ‎(“terror, fright”), from Proto-Germanic *agisiþō ‎(“horror, terror”), from Proto-Germanic *agisōną ‎(“to frighten, terrorise”), from Proto-Germanic *agaz ‎(“terror, fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₂egʰ- ‎(“to frighten”). Cognate with Old High German egisa, egidī ‎(“horror”), Old English egesa ‎(“fear, dread”), Gothic 𐌰𐌲𐌹𐍃 ‎(agis, “fear, terror”).

Alternative etymology cites possbile derivation from Latin hispidosus ‎(“rugged”), from hispidus ‎(“rough, bristly”), yet the semantic evolution is less plausible.

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈhɪd.iː.ʌs/

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