opprobrious

English

Etymology

From Middle English opprobrious, from Middle French opprobrieux and its etymon Late Latin opprobriōsus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /əˈpɹəʊbɹiəs/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: op‧pro‧bri‧ous

Adjective

opprobrious (comparative more opprobrious, superlative most opprobrious)

1. Causing opprobrium; offensive and shameful.
   • 1871, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], chapter XXII, in Middlemarch […], volume I, Edinburgh, London: William Blackwood and Sons, →OCLC, book II, page 389:

     "Don’t speak of my painting before Naumann," said Will. "He will tell you, it is all pfuscherei, which is his most opprobrious word!"

   • 2022, “Marigold”, in The Umbrella Academy, season 3, episode 6:

     KLAUS: You're so much nicer than the other one. He was a complete asshole!
     REGINALD: Such opprobrious language for your father!
     KLAUS: Yeah, I… I don't know what that means.

References

• “opprobrious”, in The Century Dictionary […], New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “opprobrious”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.