infamous
playSimple Definition of infamous
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: well-known for being bad : known for evil acts or crimes
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: causing people to think you are bad or evil
Full Definition of infamous
1 : having a reputation of the worst kind : notoriously evil <an infamous traitor>
2 : causing or bringing infamy : disgraceful <an infamous crime>
3 : convicted of an offense bringing infamy
Examples of infamous
The most infamous of South America's poisonous snakes are the ringed coral snake and the pit viper. —Candice Millard, The River of Doubt, 2005
Clemens is famous, or maybe infamous, for his brushback pitches and in particular for his penchant for “doubling up,” throwing two brushbacks in a row. —Pat Jordan, New York Times Magazine, 4 Mar. 2001
Instead we invoke the infamous dark matter, also known to make up most of the mass of other galaxies (both spiral and elliptical), clusters of galaxies, and the universe. What is it? Your guess may not be quite as good as mine, but almost. —Virginia Trimble et al., Sky & Telescope, January 1995
a city infamous for poverty and crime
He committed an infamous crime.
Origin of infamous
Middle English, from Latin infamis, from in- + fama fame
First Known Use: 14th century
Learn More about infamous
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for "infamous" Spanish Central: Translation of "infamous" Nglish: Translation of "infamous" for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of "infamous" for Arabic speakers
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