animadversion
[ an-uh-mad-vur-zhuhn, -shuhn ]
/ ˌæn ə mædˈvɜr ʒən, -ʃən /
noun
an unfavorable or censorious comment: to make animadversions on someone's conduct.
the act of criticizing.
RELATED WORDS
Nearby words
anility, anim, anim., anima, anima mundi, animadversion, animadvert, animal, animal behavior, animal black, animal charcoal
Origin of animadversion
1590–1600; < Latin animadversiōn- (stem of animadversiō) a heeding, censure, equivalent to animadvers(us) (past participle of animadvertere to heed, censure; see animadvert) + -iōn- -ion
SYNONYMS FOR animadversion
Related formsan·i·mad·ver·sion·al, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Examples from the Web for animadversion
British Dictionary definitions for animadversion
animadversion
/ (ˌænɪmædˈvɜːʃən) /
noun
criticism or censure
a carefully considered observation
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for animadversion
animadversion
1590s, "criticism, blame," also sometimes in early use simply "notice, attention" (now obsolete), from Latin animadversionem (nominative animadversio) "investigation, inquiry; perception, observation," noun of action from past participle stem of animadverte "to take cognizance of," literally "to turn the mind to," from animum, accusative of animus "mind" (see animus), + advertere "to turn to" (see advertise). The sense of "to take notice of as a fault" was in Latin; in fact animadverto at times was a euphemism for "to punish with death."
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper