atrocity

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   An extremely cruel act; a horrid act of injustice.

   to carry out / commit / perpetrate an atrocity

2. 2
   noun

   The quality or state of being atrocious; enormous wickedness; extreme criminality or cruelty.

   1553, John Bradford, letter, in Miles Coverdale (ed.), Certain Most Godly, Fruitful, and Comfortable letters, London: John Day, 1564, pp. 481-482, Thys wil I muse on, & way with my self, [tha]t I may dulye knowe, both in me and in al other things, the atrocitie and bitternesse of synne which dwelleth in me, & so may the more hartely geue ouer my self wholy to [th]e lord Christ my Sauiour,

3. 3
   noun

   An object considered to be extremely unattractive or undesirable.

   [S]ome of the printers were good singers and others good performers on the guitar and on that atrocity the accordeon—[…]

4. 4
   noun

   an act of atrocious cruelty

5. 5
   noun

   the quality of being shockingly cruel and inhumane

Etymology

From Middle French atrocité, from Latin atrōcitās, from atrōx (“terrible, cruel”) + -tās, from āter (“matte black”).