enormity — enormity, enormousness 1. Both words are derived from Latin e norma meaning ‘out of the ordinary’, and both originally had meanings associated with wicked and criminal aspects of abnormality. Enormity (15c) is older than enormousness (17c), and… … Modern English usage
enormity — enormity, enormousness both mean the state or the quality of being enormous but are rarely interchangeable in modern usage. Enormity imputes an abnormal quality; it applies especially to the state of exceeding all bounds in wickedness or evil,… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
enormity — ► NOUN (pl. enormities) 1) (the enormity of) the extreme seriousness or extent of (something bad). 2) great size or scale: the enormity of Einstein s intellect. 3) a grave crime or sin. USAGE Enormity is not related to enormous … English terms dictionary
enormity — late 15c., transgression, crime, irregularity, from O.Fr. énormité extravagance, enormity, atrocity, heinous sin, from L. enormitatem (nom. enormitas) hugeness, vastness, irregularity, from enormis (see ENORMOUS (Cf. enormous)). Meaning extreme… … Etymology dictionary
enormity — [n1] horribleness abomination, atrociousness, atrocity, crime, depravity, disgrace, evil, evilness, flagrancy, grossness, heinousness, horror, monstrosity, monstrousness, nefariousness, outrage, outrageousness, rankness, turpitude, vice,… … New thesaurus
enormity — [ē nôr′mə tē, inôr′mə tē] n. pl. enormities [Fr enormité < L enormitas < enormis, irregular, immoderate, immense < e , out + norma, rule: see NORM] 1. great wickedness [the enormity of a crime] 2. a monstrous or outrageous act; very… … English World dictionary
enormity — index degree (magnitude), magnitude, weight (importance) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
enormity — noun (plural ties) Date: 15th century 1. an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act < the enormities of state power Susan Sontag > < other enormities too juvenile to mention Richard Freedman > 2. the quality or state of being immoderate,… … New Collegiate Dictionary
enormity — /i nawr mi tee/, n., pl. enormities 1. outrageous or heinous character; atrociousness: the enormity of war crimes. 2. something outrageous or heinous, as an offense: The bombing of the defenseless population was an enormity beyond belief. 3.… … Universalium
enormity — [[t]ɪnɔ͟ː(r)mɪti[/t]] enormities 1) N UNCOUNT: usu the N of n If you refer to the enormity of something that you consider to be a problem or difficulty, you are referring to its very great size, extent, or seriousness. I was numbed by the… … English dictionary
