Dictionary

ignominious en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio
• /ˌɪɡ.nə(ʊ)ˈmɪ.ni.əs/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• /ɪɡ.nəˈmɪ.ni.əs/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Late Middle English ignominious (“disgraceful, shameful”), from Middle French ignominieux (modern French ignominieux), or from its etymon Latin ignōminiōsus (“disgraced; disgraceful, shameful, ignominious”), from ignōminia (“disgrace, dishonour, shame, ignominy”) + -ōsus (suffix meaning ‘full of; overly; prone to’ forming adjectives from nouns). Ignōminia is derived from ig- (variant of in- (prefix meaning not) + nōmen (“name; good name, reputation”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₁nómn̥ (“name”)) + -ia (suffix forming feminine abstract nouns). By surface analysis, ignominy + -ious (suffix forming adjectives from nouns denoting the presence of a quality in any degree, typically an abundance).

Meanings

1. Especially of a person: deserving of disgrace or dishonour; contemptible, despicable.
2. (qualifier:generally) Causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour; disgraceful, dishonourable; also (loosely), humiliating, shameful.
   • In sheer malignity, thinking to set back our plans and avenge himself for his ignominious expulsion, this traitor has crept here under cover of night and destroyed our work of nearly a year. 1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, published May 1962, →OCLC:
   • The golden eagle, which glittered in the front of the legion, was the object of their fondest devotion; nor was it esteemed less impious than it was ignominious, to abandon that sacred ensign in the hour of danger. 1776, Edward Gibbon, chapter I, in The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, volume I, London: […] W[illiam] Strahan; and T[homas] Cadell, […], →OCLC:
   • And yet it also seems that Khashoggi avoided anything as ignominious as personal bankruptcy. 2017 June 7, Adam Lusher, “Adnan Khashoggi: the ‘whoremonger’ whose arms deals funded a playboy life of decadence and ‘pleasure wives’”, in The Independent, London: Independent News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
   • Greene died of a debauch; and Marlowe, the gracer of tragedians, perished in an ignominious brawl. 1902, Thomas Ebenezer Webb, The Mystery of William Shakespeare: A Summary of Evidence, page 242:
   • For Roy Hodgson it was a desperate and ignominious way to end his four years as England manager. Whatever else happened in that time, his period in office will probably always be remembered for the full-on humiliation that accompanied this defeat and the knowledge it will rank among the more infamous results in the history of the national team. 2016 June 27, Daniel Taylor, “England humiliated as Iceland knock them out of Euro 2016”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC:
   • Hath he not tvvit our Soueraigne Lady here / VVith ignominious vvords, though Clarkely coucht? / As if ſhe had ſuborned ſome to ſvveare / Falſe allegations, to o'rethrovv his ſtate. 1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i], page 131, column 2:
   • The time when the pseudovirtuous men and women die a painful and ignominious death has yet to come.
   • [T]he façade of the cathedral did not stand ignominious in faded stucco, but had upon it the magnificent promise of the half-completed marble inlaying and statued niches, which Giotto had devised a hundred and fifty years before; […] 1862 July – 1863 August, George Eliot [pseudonym; Mary Ann Evans], “The Barber’s Shop”, in Romola. […], volume I, London: Smith, Elder and Co., […], published 1863, →OCLC, book I, page 53:
   • And it came to pass that they took him; and his name was Nehor; and they carried him upon the top of the hill Manti, and there he was caused, or rather did acknowledge, between the heavens and the earth, that what he had taught to the people was contrary to the word of God; and there he suffered an ignominious death. 1830, The Book of Mormon:
   • “Oh, what in the Sam Hill are you a-wearing? I thought I was supposed to be Twain.” / “I say you are incorrect, sir. I believe we decided I would be Twain.” / “Twin Twains? That dog won't hunt.” / “Uh, Mr. Clemens?” / “Mmhmm. That's me.” / “No, I'm Twain. Switch costumes, you ignominious pretender.” / “You're more stubborn than a senate mule.” / “Grits, grits, grits!” / “Tarnation!” / “Fancy pants, big-city lawyer.” / “I say you are incorrect, sir.” 2023 September 21, Grace Parra Janney, “Something Borrowed, Something Green” (9:29 from the start), in Star Trek: Lower Decks, season 4, episode 4, spoken by Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid):

Forms

Deriveds

ignominiously · unignominious · ignominiousness

Relateds

ignominy

Synonyms

ugly · scornworthy · roynish · ignoble · despicable · cheap · scurvy · unmentionable · reprehensive · dishonorable · inglorious · reptilian · punk · loathsome · unsophisticated · derisible · dirty · lousy · outrageous · vile · vile · pissass · obscene · blameworthy · scald · dedecorous · pitiable · low · pathetic · weak · disreputable · discreditable · degraded · vulgar · mean-spirited · sorry · deridable · putrid · deplorable · ugly · wretched · laughable · reptitious · execrable · obscene · despicable · uncool · scurvy · miserable · shameful · unworthy · pitiful · slavish · reptitious · beggarly · choical · dirty · risible · cringing · derisible · disdainable · reprehensive · plebeian · choical · sorry · cheap · scald · blameworthy · mean-spirited · contemptible · shameful · plebeian · lame · unworthy · pathetic · unsophisticated · risible · ignominious · deplorable · dishonorable · scummy · hylical · hylic · loathsome · inglorious · scabbed · weak · groveling · disgraceful · disreputable · abject · ridiculous · putrid · base · uncool · abject · unmentionable · sleazy · ignominious · scabbed · deridable · filthy · reprehensible · pitiful · damnable · reprehensible · sordid · carrion · laughable · unwashed · worthless · low · slavish · wretched · unwashed · roynish · carrion · trashy · scummy · ridiculous · disdainable · slimy · mean · pitiable · cringing · miserable · punk · beggarly · scornworthy · outrageous · groveling · hylic · mean · damnable · filthy · pissass · dedecorous · vulgar · reptile · uncommendable · execrable · ludicrous · trashy · shabby · paltry · shabby · ludicrous · slimy · shit · ignoble · despisable · disgraceful · shit · reptilian · degraded · despisable · paltry · hylical · sordid · discreditable · sleazy · uncommendable · lame · reptile · lousy · contemptible · base · worthless

Translations (34)

ota رذیل (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · sv neslig (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · de schmachvoll (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · ru бессла́вный (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · cs ponižující (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · ru позо́рный (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · ca ignominiós (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · sv skymflig (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · fr ignominieux (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · it ignominioso (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · pl niegodziwy (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · fi häpeällinen (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · de schändlich (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · sv vanhedrande (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · pl podły (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · cs hanebný (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · fur ignominiôs (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · gl ignominioso (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · de schimpflich (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · de schmählich (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · cs ostudný (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · pl sromotny (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · bg позорен (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · nl oneervol (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · es ignominioso (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · he מַחְפִּיר (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · sv skamlig (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · tr yüz kızartıcı (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · grc ἄδοξος (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · pl haniebny (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · cs potupný (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · bg долен (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · pt ignominioso (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable) · la ignōminiōsus (causing or marked by disgrace or dishonour — see also disgraceful, dishonourable)