opprobriate means to express opprobrium for or to view with opprobrium; to scorn. It carries an Arena rating of 1633, earned across 3 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, opprobriate ranks #1,831 of 17,128 for Most Ponderous Words, #2,380 of 17,132 for Most Betrayed by Its Sound, #3,059 of 17,134 for Most Malleable Words, #4,132 of 17,131 for Scariest Words.
Why “opprobriate” is a great word
To express severe, often public disgrace and contempt towards someone or something. From Medieval Latin *opprobriatus*, past participle of *opprobriare*, from Latin *opprobrium* ("disgrace, reproach") + the verbal suffix *-ate*. Unlike "denigrate," which broadly aims to belittle, or "vilify," which implies slander, to opprobriate is to enact a formal, moral censure, branding an act or person with the indelible stain of communal shame. It is the damning silence of the tribunal, the turned backs of a congregation, and the ritual casting of stones—a judgment that seeks not merely to correct but to exile, leaving a chill that lingers in the very air where honor once stood.
Etymology
From opprobrium + -ate (verb-forming suffix).
verb
- To express opprobrium for or to view with opprobrium; to scorn.
adj
- Expressing opprobrium; disparaging.e.g.“There are, no doubt, other bee-keeping nightmares of this ilk, but his term of opprobrium for honey-dew is very opprobriate.” — 1909, British Bee Journal - Volume 37, page 499:
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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