English → Latin
“vile” in Latin
vīlischeap, inexpensive; base, vile, mean, worthless, cheap, paltrycontemnōto scorn, despise, show contempt; to disparage, consider a person or thing as unimportant or of small value; to disregardēspiciōto look down upon; to disdain or despise; to look away, disregardabiciōto throw or hurl down or away, cast or push away or aside; to give up, abandon; expose; discard; to humble, degrade, redfoedustreaty, 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, abominableimmānisimmense, enormous, huge, vast; brutal, inhuman, frightful, savage
The English word vile itself goes back to Latin vīlis.
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
vile
Worthless, despicable, vilis (PROP., that to which one affixes a low value; then, worthless, paltry; e.g., honor): contemnendus: contemptus: despectus (despised; [SYN. in DESPISE]): abjectus (flung away; hence worthless). (The words are found in this connection and order.) contemtus et abjectus (☞ avoid contemtibilis, despicabilis, aspernabilis). A vile fellow, homo despicatissimus; homo contemtissimus, or contemtissimus et despectissimus (despised, despicable): homo omni parte detestabilis; homo impurus; monstrum hominis. To become vile in contemtionem venire or adduci.
Abominable, foul, foedus: abominandus: detestandus: detestabilis: nefandus: immanis: teter. [SYN. in ABOMINABLE.]
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for vile?
- The usual Latin words for “vile” are vīlis, contemnō, dēspiciō; also abiciō, foedus, abōminor. 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.