enormity
Use Enormity in a sentence
mɪ noun, plural e·nor·mi·ties.
1.
outrageous or heinous character; atrociousness: the enormity of war crimes.
2.
something outrageous or heinous, as an offense: The bombing of the defenseless population was an enormity beyond belief.
3.
greatness of size, scope, extent, or influence; immensity: The enormity of such an act of generosity is staggering.
Synonyms
1. monstrousness, heinousness. 3. hugeness, vastness.
1. monstrousness, heinousness. 3. hugeness, vastness.
Usage note
3. Enormity has been in frequent and continuous use in the sense “immensity” since the 18th century: The enormity of the task was overwhelming. Some hold that enormousness is the correct word in that sense and that enormity can only mean “outrageousness” or “atrociousness”: The enormity of his offenses appalled the public. Enormity occurs regularly in edited writing with the meanings both of great size and of outrageous or horrifying character, behavior, etc. Many people, however, continue to regard enormity in the sense of great size as nonstandard.
3. Enormity has been in frequent and continuous use in the sense “immensity” since the 18th century: The enormity of the task was overwhelming. Some hold that enormousness is the correct word in that sense and that enormity can only mean “outrageousness” or “atrociousness”: The enormity of his offenses appalled the public. Enormity occurs regularly in edited writing with the meanings both of great size and of outrageous or horrifying character, behavior, etc. Many people, however, continue to regard enormity in the sense of great size as nonstandard.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To enormity
00:10
Enormity
is always a great word to know.
So is ninnyhammer. Does it mean:
| a fool or simpleton; ninny. |
| the offspring of a zebra and a donkey. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
enormity (ɪˈnɔːmɪtɪ) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n , pl -ties | |
| 1. | the quality or character of being outrageous; extreme wickedness |
| 2. | an act of great wickedness; atrocity |
| 3. | informal vastness of size or extent |
| usage In modern English, it is common to talk about the enormity of something such as a task or a problem, but one should not talk about the enormity of an object or area: distribution is a problem because of India's enormous size (not India's enormity) | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
enormity
late 15c., from Fr. énormité, from L. enormitatem, from enormis (see enormous).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Surviving villagers are still struggling to cope with the enormity of the disaster.
The bosses of big drugs firms have been horribly slow to grasp the enormity of their problems.
As a spiritual leader and a human being, she is still struggling to comprehend the enormity of the catastrophe.
As the fire truck drives away you can see the enormity of the fire.
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