different between hideous vs abhorrent

English

Etymology

From Middle English hidous, from Anglo-Norman hidous, from Old French hideus, hydus (“that which inspires terror”), from earlier hisdos, from Old French hisda (“horror, fear”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Probably from Proto-West Germanic *agisiþu (“horror, terror”), from Proto-West Germanic *agis?n (“to frighten, terrorise”), from Proto-Germanic *agaz (“terror, fear”), from Proto-Indo-European *h?eg?- (“to frighten”). Cognate with Old High German egisa, egid? (“horror”), Old English egesa (“fear, dread”), Gothic ???????????????? (agis, “fear, terror”).

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

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?h?d.i?.?s/
• (US) IPA^(key): /?h?d.i.?s/

Adjective

hideous (comparative more hideous, superlative most hideous)

1. Extremely or shockingly ugly.
   • Thomas Babington Macaulay.

   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.
4. Morally offensive; shocking; detestable.

Usage notes

• Nouns to which "hideous" is often applied: monster, creature, man, woman, 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

Translations

Middle English

Adjective

hideous

1. Alternative form of hidous (“terrifying”)

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin abhorr?ns, abhorr?ntis, present active participle of abhorre? (“abhor”). Equivalent to abhor +? -ent.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /æb?(h)??.?nt/, /?b?(h)??.?nt/
• (US) IPA^(key): /æb?h??.?nt/, /æb?h??.?nt/

Adjective

abhorrent (comparative more abhorrent, superlative most abhorrent)

1. (archaic) Inconsistent with, or far removed from, something; strongly opposed [Late 16^th century.]
2. Contrary to something; discordant. [Mid 17^th century.]
3. Abhorring; detesting; having or showing abhorrence; loathing. [Mid 18^th century.]
4. Detestable or repugnant. [Early 19^th century.]

Usage notes

• Nouns to which abhorrent is often applied: behavior, act, crime, practice, thing.
• (opposed): abhorrent is typically followed by from.
• (contrary): abhorrent is followed by to.

Related terms

Translations

References

Further reading

• abhorrent in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• abhorrent in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• abhorrent at OneLook Dictionary Search

Anagrams

• earthborn

French

Verb

abhorrent

1. third-person plural present indicative of abhorrer
2. third-person plural present subjunctive of abhorrer

Latin

Verb

abhorrent

1. third-person plural present active indicative of abhorre?