scelerateadj.n.
/ˈsɛlərət/ Atrociously wicked. Obsolete.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > heinousness > [adjective]
awlyc1200
grievousa1300
grilla1300
uglya1300
strongc1300
outrageousa1325
heinousc1374
excessive1393
curseda1400
fella1400
misshapenc1400
rankc1400
monstruousc1425
enorm1481
prodigiousc1487
villainous1489
nefand1490
sceleratea1513
monstrous1531
funestal1538
enormious1545
facinorous1548
flagitious1550
dire1567
bonable1575
felonious1575
bomination1589
unvenial?1589
heathenish1592
enormous1593
villainous1598
nameless1611
pitchy1612
funest1636
funestous1641
scarleta1643
nefandous1649
aversable1663
atrocious1669
frightful1700
flagrant1706
atrocea1734
diabolical1750
unspeakable1831
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adjective] > extremely wicked
deepOE
blackOE
outrageousa1325
heinousc1374
flagitiousc1384
excessive1393
rankc1400
enorm1481
prodigiousc1487
villainous1489
terriblec1510
sceleratea1513
monstrous1531
enormious1545
facinorous1548
monstruous1562
felonious1575
enormous1593
facinoriousa1616
rounda1638
scarlet1710
facinerose1727
atrocious1772
outraging1895
a1513 R. Fabyan New Cronycles Eng. & Fraunce (1516) II. f. ccxxxiiv And fledde is now clerely The Scelerat flokke.
1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xxixv His myscheuous actes and scelerate doynges.
1575 J. Rolland Treat. Court Venus ii. f. 23 So scelerait, and ingrait for to chois.
1613 A. Sherley Relation Trav. Persia 8 The scelerat treason conspired against vs.
1625 S. Purchas Pilgrimes ii. 1845 There was resistance against such a scelerate Prince.
1665 W. Winstanley Loyall Martyrol. 102 Such a Scelerate Villaine.
a1734 R. North Examen (1740) i. iii. §98 191 The most scelerate Plot that ever was heard of.
B. n.
An atrociously wicked person, a villain, wretch. Obsolete exc. archaic.The spelling scelerat is after the French scélérat; the word has been occasionally used by English writers with italics and accents as a foreign word.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > heinousness > heinous person > [noun]
monster?a1505
scelerate1715
humgruffin1842
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun] > extreme wickedness > person
monster?a1505
prodigy1595
scelerate1715
1715 G. Cheyne Philos. Princ. Relig.: Pt. II ii. ii. 88 Hence it is, that Scelerats, can by no Arts, nor any Amusements how violent soever, stifle the Cries of a wounded Conscience.
1728 Fog's Weekly Jrnl. 21 Dec. 1/1 That honourable Prison [the Tower of London] is reserv'd for illustrious Scelerates.
1790 R. Burns Let. to (?G. Hamilton) Creation-disgracing scelerats such as they, God only can mend, and the devil only can punish.
1880 J. H. Shorthouse John Inglesant xxii. 295 He was, and is, a scelerat and a coward.
Derivatives
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [adverb]
noughtlyeOE
wrothec888
unrighteouslyeOE
foullyOE
naughtlyOE
wrothlyc1200
litherlya1225
unwraste?c1225
illc1275
vilelyc1290
shrewdly13..
felonly1303
unwrastlyc1320
viciouslya1325
diverselyc1325
wickly1338
lewdlyc1384
badlyc1405
foula1425
mischievouslyc1426
felonously1436
felonmentc1470
wickedfullyc1480
villainously1484
meschantlya1492
sinisterly1491
noughtily1528
naughtily?1529
perniciously1533
illy1549
naught1549
bad1575
evilly1581
nefariously1599
scelerately1632
improbously1657
piggishly1756
iniquitously1796
pervertedly1804
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [adverb]
wrothec888
litherlyc1050
foulOE
sinfullyc1175
quedelya1250
amissc1275
shrewdly13..
felonly1303
wickedly1303
wickc1330
wickly1338
lewdlyc1384
wickeda1400
mischievouslyc1426
felonously1436
felonmentc1470
wickedfullyc1480
villainously1484
meschantlya1492
sinisterly1491
naughtily?1529
perniciously1533
naughtly1575
unsela1583
nefariously1599
scelerately1632
improbously1657
queerly1699
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. x. 493 The peruerted policy of subtile Serpents, had sceleratly suggested my concealment.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > badness or evil > [noun]
woughc888
naughteOE
manOE
evilness1000
fakenOE
witherfulnessc1200
lithera1225
villainy?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
illa1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
iniquity13..
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickednessa1340
malicea1382
unequityc1384
lewdnessa1387
mischiefa1387
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
ungoodlihead1430
wickdomc1440
rudenessc1451
mauvasty1474
unkindliness1488
noughtinessa1500
perversenessa1500
illnessc1500
filthiness?1504
noisomeness1506
naughtiness?1529
noughtihoodc1540
inexcellence1590
improbity1593
flagition1598
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
pravity1620
meschantnessa1630
flagitiousness1692
flagitiosity1727
nefariousness1727
bale-fire1855
ill-conditionedness1866
iniquitousness1870
society > morality > moral evil > wickedness > [noun]
woughc888
manOE
evilness1000
evilc1040
un-i-thora1200
witherfulnessc1200
mixshipc1225
quedeship?c1225
lithernessa1240
unwrastshipa1250
felonyc1290
shrewheadc1290
litherhead1297
wickedheada1300
wicknessa1300
follyc1300
shrewdom13..
wickhedec1305
shrewdheadc1315
shrewdnessc1315
unwrastnessc1315
wickc1330
wickednessa1340
quedehead1340
quedeness1340
lewdnessa1387
felona1400
wickedleka1400
wickedredea1400
badnessc1400
shrewdshipc1400
shrewnessc1425
wickdomc1440
noughtinessa1500
naughtiness?1529
sinfulness1530
noughtihoodc1540
meschancy1609
scelerateness1613
meschantnessa1630
nefariousness1727
devilness1853
1613 A. Sherley Relation Trav. Persia 5 The punishment was nothing proportionable to the sceleratnesse of the fact.
1632 W. Lithgow Totall Disc. Trav. v. 188 My companion fled, and escaped the sceleratnesse of their hands.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1910; most recently modified version published online September 2021).
<
adj.n.a1513