notorious

[ noh-tawr-ee-uhs, nuh- ]

adjective

1. widely and unfavorably known:

   a notorious gambler.

   Synonyms: ill-famed, disreputable, flagrant, arrant, egregious, infamous

2. publicly or generally known, as for a particular trait:

   a newspaper that is notorious for its sensationalism.

   Synonyms: famous, conspicuous, prominent, celebrated, renowned, notable

notorious

/ nəʊˈtɔːrɪəs; ˌnəʊtəˈraɪɪtɪ /

adjective

1. well-known for some bad or unfavourable quality, deed, etc; infamous
2. rare.
   generally known or widely acknowledged

Derived Forms

• notoriety, noun
• noˈtoriously, adverb

Other Words From

• no·to·ri·ous·ly adverb
• no·to·ri·ous·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of notorious¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Medieval Latin nōtōrius “well known, public,” from Late Latin nōtōria “a notice, news, intelligence” and nōtōrium “indictment, (criminal) charge,” equivalent to nō(scere) “to get to know” + -tōrius adjective suffix; notify, -tory ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of notorious¹

C16: from Medieval Latin notōrius well-known, from nōtus known, from noscere to know

Example Sentences

Biker gangs are notorious in Australia for their drug violence, with more than 1,000 shootings recorded since the 1980s.

From BBC

A notorious Gazan criminal family later blocked the main road leading away from Kerem Shalom for two days, erecting iron barriers and reportedly firing on lorries trying to access an aid distribution point.

From BBC

The brash, confident, boisterous traits his "notorious" brand is now synonymous with were untraceable.

From BBC

Tel Aviv University has renamed a prestigious prize it awards, removing the name of a family notorious for its role in the U.S. opioid epidemic.

From Science Magazine

As David Dayen at the American Prospect has reported, her tenure as Florida's top prosecutor was notorious for her ruthless treatment of Floridians whose homes had been unlawfully foreclosed upon.

From Salon

Related Words

• blatant
• flagrant
• high-profile
• infamous
• prominent
• well-known

More About Notorious

What does notorious mean?

Notorious most commonly means famous or well-known for a negative reason.

The word is especially used to describe people who are widely known and viewed unfavorably for their actions, such as notorious criminals. It can also be applied to events, as in a notorious scandal. 

This sense of notorious is often used interchangeably with the word infamous. Strictly speaking, infamous means having, deserving, or resulting in a bad or evil reputation, while notorious usually implies that a person is both famous and disliked. Still, they usually mean just about the same thing.

Notorious can also mean known for a particular trait or action, not necessarily a bad one. For example, you might be notorious for wearing the same outfit every Friday, or your aunt might be notorious for arriving late to family events.

The state or quality of being notorious is notoriety.

Example: The island prison known as Alcatraz was known for holding some of America’s most notorious criminals.

Where does notorious come from?

The first records of the word notorious come from the mid-1500s. It comes from the Medieval Latin word nōtōrius, meaning “well-known” or “public,” from the Late Latin nōtōria, meaning “news” or “a notice,” and nōtōrium, “a criminal charge.” It’s ultimately rooted in the Latin verb nōscere, “to know.”

Notorious people are known for something specific, and it’s usually not something good. Often, the worse the thing is, the more notorious the person is. That’s why the word is most closely associated with violent criminals whose crimes are widely known.

Still, the word isn’t always used in a completely negative way. Among the people who know you, you can be notorious for something neutral or something that’s only slightly bad, like being notorious for pulling pranks or not washing your dishes.

In popular culture, notorious is known for its use in the stage name of rapper The Notorious B.I.G. (a.k.a. Christopher Wallace), which later inspired a nickname for Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg based on her initials: The Notorious R.B.G.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to notorious?

• notoriously (adverb)
• notoriousness (noun)
• notoriety (noun)

What are some synonyms for notorious?

• infamous
• ill-famed
• disreputable
• well-known

What are some words that share a root or word element with notorious? 

• know
• notify

What are some words that often get used in discussing notorious?

• criminal
• crime
• killer
• prison
• murder
• famous
• reputation

How is notorious used in real life?

Notorious is most commonly used in a negative way, but it can also be used to describe someone as well-known for a particular trait, not necessarily a bad one.

The Federal prison on Alcatraz Island closed on this day in 1963. For two decades, Alcatraz was used to house some of America's most notorious criminals, including Al Capone, George R "Machine Gun" Kelly and Alvin Karpis. https://t.co/bVmP0RE6sy pic.twitter.com/i0dhhvITIh

— NYT Archives (@NYTArchives) March 21, 2018

Two very different candidates – one a low-key public servant, one a businessman-turned-congressman (notorious for assaulting a reporter) – want to be Montana's governor. I wrote about the only tossup governor's race in the US and politics in the Trump era. https://t.co/OyrEhmo0Zr

— Kathleen McLaughlin (@kemc) October 19, 2020

When two different managers text to see if you're awake for an 8 AM meeting because you're notorious for oversleeping

— Kylie Kall (@kyliekall) May 19, 2017

 

Try using notorious!

True or False?

Notorious can be used interchangeably with the word infamous.