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hideous

Pronunciation: /ˈhɪd.i.əs/

The English word “hideous” has 4 meanings listed here.

adjective

  1. Extremely or shockingly ugly.
  2. Having a very unpleasant or frightening sound.
  3. Hateful; shocking.
  4. Morally offensive; shocking; detestable.

Etymology

From Middle English hidous, from Anglo-Norman hidous, from Old French hideus, hydus (“that which inspires terror”), from earlier hisdos, from Old French hisda (“horror, fear”), of uncertain and disputed origin. Probably from Proto-West Germanic *agisiþu (“horror, terror”), from Proto-West Germanic *agisōn (“to frighten, terrorise”), from Proto-Germanic *agaz (“terror, fear”), from…

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