entry
notorious
/nəˈtɔːriəs/widely known, especially for bad deeds
From Latin not (known).
from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know; to recognize”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key):...
from Latin notus "known," past participle of noscere "come to know,"
+1 more sourcefrom Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known,"
+1 more sourcefrom Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known,"
+1 more sourcefrom Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known,"
+1 more sourceWord Ancestry
from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- (“to know; to recognize”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key):...
from Latin notus "known," past participle of noscere "come to know,"
+1 more sourcefrom Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known,"
+1 more sourcefrom Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known,"
+1 more sourcefrom Medieval Latin notorius "well-known, commonly known,"
+1 more sourceThis word began life as a plain old spotlight, not a warning siren. In medieval Latin, nōtōrius simply meant “well-known,” the verbal equivalent of everybody in town having heard your name by supper. But English speakers kept finding it next to words like thief, liar, and scandal, and by the 1600s the shine had gone sour. That’s the same ancient know-root behind notice, notable, and knowledge, so notorious is basically the overexposed cousin who showed up to the family reunion and left with a reputation. By the time the word reached modern English, it no longer meant merely famous — it meant famous in the way a smashed window is famous: impossible to ignore, and not for the right reasons.
The Story
This word began life as a plain old spotlight, not a warning siren. In medieval Latin, nōtōrius simply meant “well-known,” the verbal equivalent of everybody in town having heard your name by supper. But English speakers kept finding it next to words like thief, liar, and scandal, and by the 1600s the shine had gone sour. That’s the same ancient know-root behind notice, notable, and knowledge, so notorious is basically the overexposed cousin who showed up to the family reunion and left with a reputation. By the time the word reached modern English, it no longer meant merely famous — it meant famous in the way a smashed window is famous: impossible to ignore, and not for the right reasons.
Kin & Kindred
From 'not'·known; recognized
Derived Terms
English words from this root
From '-torius'·forming adjectives; pertaining to
Derived Terms
English words from this root
Sources
Etymonline
Free Dictionary
Urban Dictionary