Notorious is a word with an interesting spelling. It is pronounced /nəʊˈtɔːrɪəs/ with the stress on the second syllable. The first syllable is spelled "not" and the second syllable is spelled "o" with a long "o" sound, followed by "torious" spelled with a "t", "o", "r", "i", "o", and "u" followed by an "s". While this spelling may seem complex, it is important to remember that English has a variety of spelling patterns and exceptions that make it a challenging language to master.
Notorious is an adjective that describes something or someone that is widely known or recognized for something negative or infamous. It refers to a person, action, event, or thing that has consistently attracted attention for its shocking, scandalous, or disreputable nature. The term often suggests a negative connotation, highlighting the fact that the subject's reputation has been tarnished by their widely known wrongdoing or controversial behavior.
The word notorious implies that the subject is not only known by many, but also that their reputation precedes them. It suggests that the individual or thing has gained a significant level of infamy or notoriety due to their association with a negative event, crime, scandal, or reprehensible actions. It can also refer to a notorious place, an infamous landmark, or a notorious period in history.
Being notorious means that the subject has become the center of public attention or has acquired a level of infamy that is difficult to escape. The reputation associated with something or someone notorious is usually one that is difficult to forget or overcome, as the notoriety has permeated into the collective consciousness. It is important to note that notorious should not be confused with famous or well-known, as infamous actions or events usually categorize a person or thing as notorious.
Publicly known; manifest to the world, usually in an ill sense; conspicuous.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "notorious" has its origins in Latin. It derived from the Latin term "notorius", which means "known" or "well known". The Latin word itself is derived from the verb "notare", meaning "to mark" or "to note". Over time, "notorius" evolved to its current form in English, with the meaning of being widely known for something negative or unfavorable.