odium

noun

odi·​um ˈō-dē-əm How to pronounce odium (audio)
1
: the state or fact of being subjected to hatred and contempt as a result of a despicable act or blameworthy circumstance
2
: hatred and condemnation accompanied by loathing or contempt : detestation
3
: disrepute or infamy attached to something : opprobrium

Examples of odium in a Sentence

time did nothing to diminish the odium in which the traitor lived out his days
Recent Examples on the Web By making such statements with actual malice to the public and also through social media, each of the defendants knew or should have known that their comments would be widely disseminated, exposing Judge Moore to disgrace, ridicule, odium and contempt resulting in compensatory and punitive damages. Paul Gattis | Pgattis@al.com, al, 29 Nov. 2022 This season will only add to the odium. Los Angeles Times, 29 Oct. 2022 The Buccaneers were the team willing to absorb the odium of signing Brown in 2020 after a series of incidents that transformed one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL into someone that most teams thought wasn’t worth the risk because of his behavior. Andrew Beaton, WSJ, 2 Jan. 2022 By heaping odium on Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, one of several prominent opposition figures, the government gave a divided opposition a leader to unite around. Christopher De Bellaigue, The New York Review of Books, 13 Oct. 2022 In addition, the odium among the Left is so pernicious and so ubiquitous that the surveyors themselves may pollute the very taking of polls. Victor Davis Hanson, National Review, 31 Dec. 2019

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'odium.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, hatred, from odisse to hate; akin to Old English atol terrible, Greek odyssasthai to be angry

First Known Use

1602, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of odium was in 1602

Dictionary Entries Near odium

Cite this Entry

“Odium.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/odium. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

odium

noun
odi·​um ˈōd-ē-əm How to pronounce odium (audio)
1
: the state of being generally hated
2
: the disgrace or shame attached to something considered hateful
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