atrocity
pronunciation
How to pronounce atrocity in British English:
UK [əˈtrɒsəti]
How to pronounce atrocity in American English:
US [əˈtrɑːsəti]
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- Noun:
- the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane
- an act of atrocious cruelty
Word Origin
- atrocity (n.)
- 1530s, from Middle French atrocité or directly from Latin atrocitatem (nominative atrocitas) "cruelty, fierceness, harshness," noun of quality from atrox "fierce, cruel, frightful," from PIE *atro-ek-, from root *ater- "fire" (see atrium) + *okw- "see" (see eye (n.)); thus "of fiery or threatening appearance." The meaning "an atrocious deed" is from 1793.
Example
- 1. Norway suffered its worst peacetime atrocity .
- 2. Perhaps the scale of the atrocity numbs moral outrage .
- 3. That atrocity incurred worldwide opprobrium .
- 4. This week 's atrocity in its economic capital should not undermine its progress .
- 5. Hours after witnessing the atrocity , yu was on a train to shanghai .