notorious
Definitions
Widely known, especially for something bad; infamous.
声名狼藉的，臭名昭著的。
Root Breakdown
Root-derivednot (mark, make known) + -ous (full of) = 'fully marked / well known.' It started neutral — simply 'openly known.' But what gets widely talked about is often scandal, so the word darkened: now notorious means famous for the wrong reasons.
Root not still carries 19 more wordsWhy It Means This
A textbook case of semantic deterioration. Notorious and notable are siblings from the same 'marked out' root, but they drifted opposite ways: notable = marked out for good (a notable achievement), notorious = marked out for bad (a notorious gangster). The spotlight is the same; only the reason changed.
Usage Guide
Never a compliment. 'She's a notorious singer' wrongly suggests scandal — use famous, renowned, or celebrated for praise. notorious pairs with crime, difficulty, or unreliability: a notorious liar, notorious traffic, notoriously hard. The structure 'notorious for + noun/-ing' is standard: notorious for cheating.
Example Sentences
- 1.
The neighborhood is notorious for its high crime rate.
- 2.
He's a notorious liar, so don't trust a word he says.
- 3.
That stretch of road is notorious for accidents.
Easily Confused
notorious vs famous — Both mean 'widely known,' but notorious is negative (known for bad things) and famous is neutral-to-positive. A famous chef is admired; a notorious chef may be known for food poisoning. If in doubt about praise, choose famous.