Hideous

Pronunciation

• UK IPA: /ˈhɪd.iː.ÊŒs/

Origin

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 *aǵʰ-, *agʰ- ("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. fro?: hidous, hidos, hidus, hisdos, hisdous, French hideux: confer Old French hide, hisde ("fright"); , English

Full definition of hideous

Adjective

1. Frightful; shocking; extremely ugly.A piteous and hideous spectacle." Thomas Babington Macaulay.
2. Distressing or offensive to the ear; horrible.
• 1719, Daniel Defoe, 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

• frightful, ghastly, grim, grisly, grotesque, horrid, dreadful, terrible

Derived terms

• hideosity
• hideously
• hideousness