heinous
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of heinous
1325–75; Middle English heynous < Middle French haineus, equivalent to haine hatred (derivative of haïr to hate < Germanic ) + -eus -ous
Explanation
A heinous crime is very evil or wicked. Of course, some people only use the term as an exaggeration, claiming that their parents' requirement that they write thank you notes after their birthdays is a heinous form of torture. Heinous descends from Middle English, from Old French haineus, from haine "hatred," from hair "to hate." So when you want to use the word heinous in all seriousness, think of acts that are considered hateful (or outrageous, and shocking). Think: treason, torture, the clubbing of baby seals. Heinous is pronounced HĀ-nəs.
Vocabulary lists containing heinous
Brave New World
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The Other Wes Moore
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "H"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And the book's most talked-about story, "Especially Heinous," takes its inspiration from the television show "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit."
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 17, 2018
The collection’s longest story, “Especially Heinous: 272 Views of Law & Order: SVU,” is a glorious example of such narrative subversion.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 29, 2017
He responds like this: Image: HBO And just like that, Sansa’s Heinous Men Reprieve is over.
From The Verge • Jul. 31, 2017
Husband-and-wife writing duo Nancy and Steve Carell are behind this cop parody starring Parks and Recreation‘s Rashida Jones as an officer in the “Really Heinous Crimes Unit.”
From Time • Dec. 30, 2015
Heinous, hā′nus, adj. wicked in a high degree, enormous: atrocious.—adv.
From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 2 of 4: E-M) by Various
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
