English → Latin
“atrocious” in Latin
dīrusfearful; ominous; dreadful, detestableatrōxfierce, savage, bloody; heinous, cruel, severe; terrible, frightening, dreadfulfoedustreaty, compact, alliance, truce, league; agreement, bond, contract, compact, pact, pledge, conditions, terms; covenantabōminorto deprecate (as an ill omen); to abominate, abhor, detest, loathedētestorto curse or execrate; to detest or loathe; to avert or ward offdētestābilisexecrable, abominable, detestablenefandusimpious; heinous, execrable, abominablenefāriusnefarious, execrable, abominable, loathsomeimmānisimmense, enormous, huge, vast; brutal, inhuman, frightful, savagetaeterfoul, noisome, disgusting (smell); offensive, revolting, foul; shocking, hideous, loathsome
The English word atrocious itself goes back to Latin atrōx.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
atrocious
dirus (exciting horror: property of things; e.g., exsecratio): atrox (exciting fear; e.g., facinus): foedus (foul): abominandus: detestandus: detestabilis (detestable): nefandus: nefarius (the former of actions: the latter of men, their thoughts and actions): immanis (shocking: of actions): teter (hideous, shocking; abominable in character and conduct). An atrocious villain, homo omni parte detestabilis: homo impurus: monstrum hominis.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for atrocious?
- The usual Latin words for “atrocious” are dīrus, atrōx, foedus; also abōminor, dētestor, dētestābilis. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.