infamy

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English

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Etymology

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From late Middle English infamie, from Old French infamie, from Latin īnfāmia (“infamy”), from īnfāmis (“infamous”), from in- (“not”) + fāma (“fame, renown”). Displaced native Old English unhlīsa (literally “bad fame”).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈɪnfəmi/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Hyphenation: in‧fa‧my

Noun

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infamy (countable and uncountable, plural infamies)

  1. The state of being infamous.
    • 1871, Henry Court translating Sher Ali Afsos as The Araish-i-Mahfil, or, The Ornament of the Assembly, p. 31:
      ... but the cars of chaste women have either coverings thrown over them, or white sheets hung over; for instance, on the cars of the female part of the family of the deceased Nawabs Khanduran and Muzaffar Khan, there used generally to be fastened thick dirty white cloths, and in like manner also on their palanquins—although one brother was the chief treasurer, and the other a commander of seven thousand men. And most assuredly this is a requirement of modesty; for one whose palanquin or cart is turned out with much splendour, verily the idea comes to the minds of the sight-seers and common people, that in it there must be some lovely one, bright as the morning, the envy of the fairies. Hence, for the cars or palanquins for women to ride in to be greatly embroidered is, in the opinion of certain men of standing, who are worthy to be trusted, of great infamy.
    • 1941 December 8, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, 0:00 from the start, in Day of Infamy Speech‎[1], Washington, D.C., page 1:
      Yesterday, December seventh, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.
  2. A reprehensible occurrence or situation.
  3. (law) A stigma attaching to a person's character that disqualifies them from being a witness.
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Translations

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