Scandalous

Pronunciation

• US IPA: /ˈskændÉ™lÉ™s/

Origin

From Medieval Latin scandalosus, via French scandaleuse; as if scandal + -ous.

Full definition of scandalous

Adjective

1. wrong, immoral, causing a scandal
• 1884, Mark Twain, Adventures of Huckleberry FinnThe thing made a big stir in the town, too, and a good many come out flatfooted and said it was scandalous to separate the mother and the children that way.
2. malicious, defamatory
• 1592, Thomas Kyd, The Spanish TragedieThese be the scandalous reports of such
  As loves not me, and hate my lord too much.
• 1887, Marie Corelli, ThelmaI always disregard gossip--it is generally scandalous, and seldom true.
• 2012, June 26, Genevieve Koski, Music: Reviews: Justin Bieber: Believe, The closest Believe gets to scandalous is on the deluxe-edition bonus track “Maria,” a response song to the woman who accused Bieber of fathering her child in 2011.

Derived terms

• scandalously
• scandalousness