different between hideous vs attractive

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

From Middle French attractif, from Late Latin attractivus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??t?ækt?v/
• Rhymes: -ækt?v

Adjective

attractive (comparative more attractive, superlative most attractive)

1. Causing attraction; having the quality of attracting by inherent force.
2. Having the power of charming or alluring by agreeable qualities; enticing.

   That's a very attractive offer.

3. Pleasing or appealing to the senses, especially of the opposite sex.

   He is an attractive fellow with a trim figure.

Synonyms

• (causing attraction): magnetic
• (having the ability to charm): See Thesaurus:attractive
• (pleasing or appealing to the senses): See Thesaurus:beautiful

Antonyms

• (having the power of charming): repulsive, ugly
• (pleasing or appealing to the senses): repulsive, ugly
• unattractive

Hyponyms

Related terms

Translations

References

• attractive on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• attractive in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• attractive in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.t?ak.tiv/

Adjective

attractive

1. feminine singular of attractif

Latin

Adjective

attract?ve

1. vocative masculine singular of attract?vus