Dictionary

infamous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈɪn.fə.məs/
• (California) audio
• ĭnʹfə-məs

Etymology

From Middle English enfamouse, in-fames, infamous, from Medieval Latin īnfāmōsus, from Latin īnfāmis; by surface analysis, in- + famous. Displaced native Old English unhlīsful.

Meanings

1. Having a bad reputation; disreputable; notorious; unpleasant or evil; widely known, especially for something scornful.
   • Despite the line proving to be a useful strategic route for men and supplies to the British naval fleets stationed at Scapa Flow in both world wars, the Duke's legacy looked to have passed into history when it was listed for closure in the infamous Beeching report. 2021 October 20, Paul Stephen, “Leisure and pleasure on the Far North Line”, in RAIL, number 942, page 48:
   • Soon we arrived at the Beijing Hotel—within shouting distance of the now infamous Tienanmen Square. 1995, Leonard Nimoy, I Am Spock, New York: Hyperion, →ISBN, →LCCN, →OCLC, page 188:
   • He was an infamous traitor.
   • These infamous little green men appeared during the decisive seizures or buildings and facilities, only to disappear when associated militias and local troops arrived to consolidate the gains. In this way they provided a measure of deniability—however superficial or implausible—for Moscow.⁴⁰ 2014, “Little Green Men”: A Primer on Modern Russian Unconventional Warfare, Ukraine 2013–2014, Fort Bragg, North Carolina: The United States Army Special Operations Command, page 43:
   • She is infamous for perjury.
2. Causing infamy; disgraceful.
   • Yes, Virginia, now Santa's doin' time In a Federal prison for his infamous crime 1996, "Weird Al" Yankovic, “The Night Santa Went Crazy”, in Bad Hair Day:
   • This infamous deed tarnishes all involved.
3. (UK, historical, of a person) Subject to a judicial punishment depriving (the person) of certain rights (e.g. the rights to hold public office, exercise the franchise, receive a public pension, serve on a jury, or give testimony in a court of law).
4. (archaic, of a crime) Punishable by death or imprisonment.
   • No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the Militia, when in actual service in time of war or public danger […] 1791 December 15, James Madison et al, Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution:

Forms

Deriveds

infamously · infamousness · infamy

Synonyms

nefarious · disreputable · nithing · infamous · notorious · nefarious · nithing · ill-famed · nidering · ill-famed · niddering

Translations (97)

ru позо́рный (having a bad reputation) · sv vanhederlig (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · de schändlich (having a bad reputation) · cmn 臭名昭著 (having a bad reputation) · de niederträchtig (having a bad reputation) · ro ticălos (having a bad reputation) · gd droch-chliùiteach (having a bad reputation) · la infāmis (having a bad reputation) · de schändlich (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · ro nerușinat (having a bad reputation) · pt famigerado (having a bad reputation) · tr alçak (having a bad reputation) · th ชื่อเสีย (having a bad reputation) · ro infam (having a bad reputation) · tr iğrenç (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · la propudiosus (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · cmn 惡名昭彰 /恶名昭彰 (having a bad reputation) · pt infame (having a bad reputation) · cmn 不光彩 (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · hi कुख्यात (having a bad reputation) · bg срамен (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · gl infame (having a bad reputation) · de gemein (having a bad reputation) · sv äreslös (having a bad reputation) · pl niesławny (having a bad reputation) · mi mōiriiri (having a bad reputation) · cs nechvalně známý (having a bad reputation) · sv ökänd (having a bad reputation) · oc infame (having a bad reputation) · de infam (having a bad reputation) · vi khét tiếng (having a bad reputation) · de entehrend (having a bad reputation) · sv avskyvärd (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · io infama (having a bad reputation) · ko 악명 높은 (having a bad reputation) · la propudiosus (having a bad reputation) · tr rezilcesine (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · de berüchtigt (having a bad reputation) · eo fifama (having a bad reputation) · tr ayıp (having a bad reputation) · da infam (having a bad reputation) · tr rezil (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · gv anghooagh (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · tr rezilane (having a bad reputation) · fr abominable (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · de verrucht (having a bad reputation) · sv skändlig (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · ca infame (having a bad reputation) · la propudianus (having a bad reputation) · sv vanärande (having a bad reputation) · de verrufen (having a bad reputation) · tr kötü şöhretli (having a bad reputation) · ang sċandlīċ (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · tr utanç verici (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · da ussel (having a bad reputation) · fi surullisenkuuluisa (having a bad reputation) · ru печа́льно знамени́тый (having a bad reputation) · ja 悪名高い (having a bad reputation) · da berygtet (having a bad reputation) · bg позорен (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · ang unhlīsful (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · fr tristement célèbre (having a bad reputation) · tr rezil (having a bad reputation) · ang unhlīsful (having a bad reputation) · uk безсла́вний (having a bad reputation) · tr kepaze (having a bad reputation) · es de mala fama (having a bad reputation) · es malafamado (having a bad reputation) · ota رذیل (having a bad reputation) · la propudianus (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · hi अपमानजनक (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · sv vanfrejdad (having a bad reputation) · tr utanç verici (having a bad reputation) · de ehrlos (having a bad reputation) · nl berucht (having a bad reputation) · tr iğrenç (having a bad reputation) · de anrüchig (having a bad reputation) · it famigerato (having a bad reputation) · hu hírhedt (having a bad reputation) · th ฉาว (having a bad reputation) · no beryktet (having a bad reputation) · ru печа́льно изве́стный (having a bad reputation) · es infame (having a bad reputation) · de abscheulich (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · de berühmt-berüchtigt (having a bad reputation) · fr infâme (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · tr rezilcesine (having a bad reputation) · tr rezilane (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · fo æruleysur (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · bg опозорен (having a bad reputation) · tr kepaze (disgraceful — see also disgraceful, scandalous) · uk сумнозві́сний (having a bad reputation) · es méndigo (having a bad reputation) · ru бессла́вный (having a bad reputation) · es malfamado (having a bad reputation) · fi pahamaineinen (having a bad reputation) · el διαβόητος (having a bad reputation)