scelerateadj.n.

/ˈsɛlərət/

Forms: Also 1500s–1800s scelerat, 1500s Scottish scelerait.

Etymology: < Latin scelerātus, past participle of scelerāre , < sceler- , scelus wickedness: see -ate suffix². Compare French scélérat (in Cotgrave 1611; Old French had sceleré), Italian scellerato, Portuguese scelerado.

†A. adj.

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. ccxxxii^v And fledde is now clerely The Scelerat flokke.

1548 Hall's Vnion: Richard III f. xxix^v 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

† ˈscelerately adv. Obsolete

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.

† ˈscelerateness n. Obsolete

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]