What is the Latin word for ugly?

The usual Latin words for “ugly” are dēfōrmis, taeter, turpis; also foedus, auris, oculus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“ugly” in Latin

dēfōrmisDeparting physically from the correct shape; deformed, ugly, misshapen, malformed.; Departing morally from the correct q taeterfoul, noisome, disgusting (smell); offensive, revolting, foul; shocking, hideous, loathsome turpisugly, unsightly; foul, filthy; cacophonous, disagreeable; base, infamous, scandalous, dishonorable, shameful, disgracefu foedustreaty, compact, alliance, truce, league; agreement, bond, contract, compact, pact, pledge, conditions, terms; covenant aurisear oculuseye; sight, vision; luminary of the sun and stars tenebraedarkness, especially the darkness of night; shadow of death; prison, dungeon vultusa facial expression, look, countenance; the front of the head, face; the face as involved in looking; the view, gaze

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

ugly

deformis (offending one’s taste, etc.; opposed to formosus = δυσειδής): teter (hideous, shocking; making one shudder from feeling one’s security disturbed; it is applied to what produces this impression on the senses [teter naribus, auribus, oculis, Lucr.] or the mind [locus, tenebrae, etc.] ; also, vultus = βλοσυρός): turpis (offending the moral sense; exciting disapprobation, contempt; opposed to honestus = αὶσχρός): foedus (offending natural feelings; exciting loathing, etc., μιαρός; e.g., foeda specie, Lucr.): obscoenus (dirty, foul; offending decency and good manners). (The words are found in this connection and order.) teter turpisque: teter et immanis (e.g., belua, Cic.). Dreadfully ugly, insignis ad deformitatem: a face dreadfully ugly by nature, vultus natura horridus ac teter (Suet.). Anything is an ugly trick or habit, aliquid deforme est (e.g., de se ipsum praedicare). To make anything ugly, aliquid deformare (opposed to exornare); aliquid turpare or deturpare (post-Augustan, in prose).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for ugly?: The usual Latin words for “ugly” are dēfōrmis, taeter, turpis; also foedus, auris, oculus. 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.