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vituperation

[vahy-too-puh-rey-shuh n, -tyoo-, vi-]
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noun
  1. verbal abuse or castigation; violent denunciation or condemnation.
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Origin of vituperation

1475–85; < Latin vituperātiōn- (stem of vituperātio), equivalent to vituperāt(us) (see vituperate) + -iōn- -ion

Synonyms

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censure, vilification, spite, scolding, defamation, aspersion.

Antonyms

praise.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for vituperation

Historical Examples

  • There were shouts and howls, followed by a furious exchange of vituperation.

    Fruitfulness

    Emile Zola

  • This he set before me, then joined them in their vituperation of Messer Gambara.

    The Strolling Saint

    Raphael Sabatini

  • But are we on that account to select him for the special object of our vituperation?

  • Alice paused for want of breath and lack of vocabulary for vituperation.

  • What is it that renders ridicule more insupportable than vituperation?

    A Day's Ride

    Charles James Lever

British Dictionary definitions for vituperation

vituperation

noun
  1. abusive language or venomous censure
  2. the act of vituperating
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Derived Formsvituperative (vɪˈtjuːpərətɪv, -prətɪv), adjectivevituperatively, adverb
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 vituperation

n.

mid-15c. (implied in vituperable), but rare before early 19c., from Latin vituperationem (nominative vituperatio) "blame, censuring," from past participle stem of vituperare "disparage," from vitiperos "having faults," from vitium "fault, defect" (see vice (n.1)) + parare "prepare, provide, procure" (see pare). Vituperatio was stronger than either Latin reprehensio or Modern English vituperation.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper