Liberal Dictionary English Dictionary
adjective
- having an extremely bad reputation: an infamous city.
- deserving of or causing an evil reputation; shamefully malign; detestable: an infamous deed.
- Law.
- deprived of certain rights as a citizen, as a consequence of conviction of certain offenses.
- of or relating to offenses involving such deprivation.
adjective
- having a bad reputation; notorious
- causing or deserving a bad reputation; shockinginfamous conduct
- criminal law (formerly)
- (of a person) deprived of certain rights of citizenship on conviction of certain offences
- (of a crime or punishment) entailing such deprivation
late 14c., from Medieval Latin infamosus, from Latin in- “not, opposite of” (see in- (1)) + famosus “celebrated” (see famous). Meaning influenced by Latin infamis “of ill fame” (see infamy). As a legal term, “disqualified from certain rights of citizens in consequence of conviction of certain crimes” (late 14c.). Related: Infamously.