Quasimodo

[kwah-suh-moh-doh, -zuh-moh-]

noun

the ugly, humpbacked protagonist of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, by Victor Hugo.

Origin of Quasimodo

1840–50 (def. 1) < Late Latin, from the opening words of the introit antiphon for the Sunday: Quasi modo genitī infantēs … “As just born children …” (1 Pet. 2:2); 1830–35 (def. 2)

Quasimodo

[kwah-suh-moh-doh, -zuh-moh-; Italian kwah-zee-maw-daw]

noun

Sal·va·to·re

[sahl-vah-taw-re] /ˌsɑl vɑˈtɔ rɛ/, 1901–68, Italian poet: Nobel prize 1959.

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

Examples from the Web for quasimodo

Historical Examples of quasimodo

An old woman explained to Coppenole that Quasimodo was deaf.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo
Quasimodo remained on his knees, with head bent and hands clasped.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo
And, nevertheless, it is certain that Quasimodo could have crushed the priest with his thumb.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo
In 1482, Quasimodo was about twenty years of age; Claude Frollo, about thirty-six.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo
So Quasimodo had fifteen bells in his seraglio; but big Marie was his favorite.
Notre-Dame de Paris
Victor Hugo

British Dictionary definitions for quasimodo

Quasimodo

noun

another name for Low Sunday

a character in Victor Hugo's novel Notre-Dame de Paris (1831), a grotesque hunch-backed bellringer of the cathedral of Notre Dame

(Italian kwaˈziːmodo) Salvatore (salvaˈtoːre). 1901–68, Italian poet, whose early work expresses symbolist ideas and techniques. His later work is more concerned with political and social issues: Nobel prize for literature 1959

Word Origin for Quasimodo

(sense 1) from the opening words of the Latin introit for that day, quasimodo geniti infantes as new-born babies

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 quasimodo

"Low Sunday," 1706, Quasimodo Sunday, from Latin quasi modo, first words of introit for the first Sunday after Easter: quasi modo geniti infantes "as newborn babes" (1 Pet. ii:2). The hunchback in Victor Hugo's novel was supposed to have been abandoned as an infant at Notre Dame on this day, hence his name. For first element, see quasi; for second see mode (n.1).