heinous

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“
But these men must know there is no sin so heinous which is not pardonable in itself, no crime so great but by God's mercy it may be forgiven.

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Definitions (6)

Toggle American Heritage definitions American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. adjective Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable: a heinous crime.

Toggle Century definitions Century Dictionary (3)

Toggle GNU Webster definitions GNU Webster's 1913 (1)

Toggle WordNet definitions WordNet (1)

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Examples (50)

  • But the whole video is so crazy-heinous, I cannot ignore it. —  Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch
  • Yes, I know that's not a real word, but I don't want to sully the adjective heinous -- which has been quite good to me through the years, and deserves a special Emmy for its work in the opening credits of Law & Order: —  Entertainment Weekly's PopWatch
  • The criticisms of "macroevolution" in her letter are absolutely heinous, and oft refuted. —  Pharyngula
  • "For them to want a recall at the end of the fall-during finals-was completely heinous, and in addition it more than implicates them if there is a question whether they supported the recall or not." —  Daily Californian Headlines
  • I do like iced coffee and espresso drinks iced (like a latte), but straight espresso over ice sounds pretty heinous, and if I were the barista, I'd probably mention it's not recommended. —  How Now Brownpau
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Roget's II Roget's II: The New Thesaurus

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Roget's II: The New Thesaurus, Third Edition by the Editors of the American Heritage® Dictionary. Copyright © 2003, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Etymologies (2)

Toggle American Heritage etymologies American Heritage Dictionary (1)

  1. Middle English, from Old French haineus, from haine, hatred, from hair, to hate, from Frankish *hatjan.

Toggle Century etymologies Century Dictionary (1)

  1. Formerly also hainous; English dial, accommodation hainish; from Middle English heinous, heynʒous, hainous, from Old French haïnos, French haineux, odious, hateful, from haïne (later English dial, hain), hate, hatred, malice, from haïr, hate, earlier hadir, of Old Low German origin, OFries. hatia = Anglo-Saxon hatian = Goth, hatjan, hate: see hate.
 

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/ˈheɪnəs/
by American Heritage

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