notorious

[noh-tawr-ee-uh s, -tohr-, nuh-]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR notorious ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

widely and unfavorably known: a notorious gambler.

publicly or generally known, as for a particular trait: a newspaper that is notorious for its sensationalism.

Origin of notorious

1540–50; < Medieval Latin nōtōrius evident, equivalent to nō(scere) to get to know (see notify) + -tōrius -tory¹

Related formsno·to·ri·ous·ly, adverbno·to·ri·ous·ness, noun

Can be confusedfamous infamous notorious

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for notoriously

notably, infamously, spectacularly, especially

Examples from the Web for notoriously

Contemporary Examples of notoriously

But so-called jungle primaries are notoriously hard to predict or poll.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races
David Freedlander
January 9, 2015
Millennials—rich or otherwise—have been notoriously uninterested in politics.
When Will We See a #Millennial Congress?
Linda Killian
December 26, 2014
Since then various reports have trickled out about women in the notoriously sealed group.
The New Face of Boko Haram’s Terror: Teen Girls
Nina Strochlic
December 13, 2014
Notoriously, Atlantic City did not get its first supermarket until 1996.
I Watched a Casino Kill Itself: The Awful Last Nights of Atlantic City’s Taj Mahal
Olivia Nuzzi
December 8, 2014
The organizers certainly appeared worried about plunging into the notoriously fierce world of London fashion and media.
I Got Kicked Out Of The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show
Nico Hines
December 3, 2014

Historical Examples of notoriously

Notoriously, he observed, the mileage of members was scandalously small.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 12, June 18, 1870
Various
It seems that he is notoriously violent and jealous, and thoroughly unscrupulous.
A Spirit in Prison
Robert Hichens
The breed of the Carthusian horses of Xeres was notoriously the best in Europe.
Roman Catholicism in Spain
Anonymous
And lawyers are notoriously unable to observe the law, just as actors are notoriously unable to act.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
If she had been notoriously of an altruistic and free-handed disposition, he could have understood it.
The Market-Place
Harold Frederic

British Dictionary definitions for notoriously

notorious

adjective

well-known for some bad or unfavourable quality, deed, etc; infamous

rare generally known or widely acknowledged

Derived Formsnotoriety (ˌnəʊtəˈraɪɪtɪ) or notoriousness, nounnotoriously, adverb

Word Origin for notorious

C16: from Medieval Latin notōrius well-known, from nōtus known, from noscere to know

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for notoriously

notorious

adj.

1540s, "publicly known," from Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known," from Latin notus "known," past participle of noscere "come to know" (see know). Negative connotation arose 17c. from frequent association with derogatory nouns. Related: Notoriously.