comminate means to denounce or curse. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 87 out of 100.
comminate is pronounced /ˈkɒmɪneɪt/.
Why “comminate” is a great word
COMMINATE — [Verb] To denounce or threaten, especially with divine punishment. From Latin comminat-, past participle stem of comminari, from com- (expressing intensive force) + minari ("to threaten"). First recorded in English 1605–15 as a back-formation from commination. Unlike execrate, which vents raw hatred, or admonish, which counsels gentle correction, to comminate is to pronounce a formal, judicial sentence from a position of terrible authority. It is the prophet’s curse inscribed upon a city gate, the anathema pronounced from the high altar, or the cold, official seal on a writ of excommunication—an utterance that carries the heavy scent of consequence, a reminder that some words are spoken not to change minds, but to seal fates.
verb
- To denounce or curse.
- To threaten, especially with divine punishment