notorious
- 1Widely known among the public for something bad, such as a crime or scandal; infamous.
The region became notorious for widespread political corruption.
He was a notorious con artist who swindled hundreds of small investors.
Oppositefamous
Note
Here the word attaches to people and institutions and usually takes a for-phrase: Drayton's villains are notorious for their skill, and Mary Wollstonecraft's woman of quality is notorious for her gallantries. Famous is its counterpart on the good side, and ill-famed is a close match. The Medieval Latin nōtōrius already meant both 'famous' and 'infamous,' and English kept both, as the neutral 'well-known' sense shows.
- 2Of an act or situation, obviously and offensively blameworthy; blatant or flagrant.
The company's notorious neglect of its workers led to a federal investigation.
His notorious abuse of office was condemned by both parties.
Similarflagrant, blatant, egregious, glaring, scandalous
Note
Applied to a deed rather than a doer, the word shifts from reputation to flagrancy: a sermon by John Donne speaks of notorious sin, and Defoe's Colonel Jacque of a notorious robbery. It usually sits before the noun and takes no for-phrase, which is the quickest way to tell it from the bad-reputation sense. Flagrant and blatant are its nearest modern equivalents.
- 3Known generally or widely, so that it is part of common knowledge; famous, with a neutral or favorable sense rather than a bad one.
It is a notorious truth that the river floods every spring.
She was a notorious beauty, celebrated throughout the court.
Similarfamous, well-known, celebrated, renowned
Note
Older writers could use it with no trace of blame. In Samuel Foote's The Cozeners (1774), a doctor has long been notorious for his fine singing, and William Camden's most notorious towns are simply the best-known ones. Read older prose without hearing scandal. A modern writer who means this should choose well-known, because current usage gives the word an almost wholly pejorative force.
Less common meanings
- 4Plainly clear, evident, or obvious to anyone observing.
[T]he failing in any one of theſe [members of the body] vvould cauſe Irregularity in the Body, and in many of them ſuch as vvould be very notorious.
1691, John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of the Creation.Note
Plain visibility, with no judgment attached, is all this obsolete sense conveys. Isaac Barrow sets it beside clear and palpable, and John Ray calls a defect in the body very notorious, meaning conspicuous. When it appears in older writing, read it as 'obvious.' Today, evident or plain does the same job without any suggestion of disgrace.
- 5Generally or widely knowable; able to be found out by many people.
Note
The emphasis falls on access rather than fame. What is notorious in this obsolete sense has been made public, so anyone who cares to can learn it. Thomas Elyot's notorious rebuke is a public one, and Henry Hallam uses the word of royal ordinances made known by entry on the record. It differs from the 'widely known' sense the way published differs from famous.
- 6In a manner that is generally or openly known; notoriously.
Note
The bare adjective form once did the work of an adverb, standing where notoriously stands now, and it compared with more and most. The use is obsolete. When it appears in old texts, read it as notoriously. In modern writing, keep notorious as an adjective and use the -ly form for the adverb.
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Practice
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Origin
From Late Middle English notoryous, via Medieval Latin nōtōrius ('well-known, famous, infamous'), from Latin nōtus ('known, recognized, famous, infamous'). Nōtus is the perfect passive participle of nōscō ('to become acquainted with, learn about'), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ǵneh₃- ('to know, recognize').