First Known Use: 14th century
Dictionary
odious
adjective odi·ous \ˈō-dē-əs\
: causing hatred or strong dislike
Full Definition of ODIOUS
: arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance : hateful <an odious crime> <a false and odious comparison>
— odi·ous·ly adverb
— odi·ous·ness noun
See odious defined for English-language learners
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Examples of ODIOUS
- Two of them—his mother Livia and his odious sister Janice—were at heart killers like himself. —Geoffrey O'Brien, New York Review of Books, 16 Aug. 2007
- He learned an important lesson some years ago in Panama. Manuel Antonio Noriega was too odious even for Carter, who shunned the Panamanian strongman in the run-up to the 1989 ballot there. —Jim Wooten, New York Times Magazine, 29 Jan 1995
- But, alas, I know the real me, the me with the soft, round stomach and the love handles, odious first cousins to the paunch. —Jack McCallum, Sports Illustrated, 30 July 1990
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Origin of ODIOUS
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin odiosus, from odium (see odium)
Related to ODIOUS
- Synonyms
- abhorrent, abominable, appalling, awful, disgusting, distasteful, dreadful, evil, foul, fulsome, gross, hideous, horrendous, horrible, horrid, loathsome, nasty, nauseating, nauseous, noisome, noxious, obnoxious, obscene, offensive, rancid, repellent (also repellant), repugnant, repulsive, revolting, scandalous, shocking, sickening, ugly
- Antonyms
- innocuous, inoffensive
ODIOUSLY Defined for Kids
odious
adjective odi·ous \ˈō-dē-əs\
Definition of ODIOUS for Kids
: causing hatred or strong dislike : worthy of hatred
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