turpitude

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French turpitude, from Latin turpitūdō (“baseness, infamy”), from turpis (“foul, base”).

Noun

turpitude (countable and uncountable, plural turpitudes)

  1. Inherent baseness, depravity or wickedness; corruptness and evilness.
    • 1886, Robert Louis Stevenson, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde:
      As for the moral turpitude that man unveiled to me, even with tears of penitence, I cannot, even in memory, dwell on it without a start of horror.
  2. An act evident of such a depravity.

Derived terms

Translations
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Translations to be checked

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin turpitūdō.

Pronunciation
  • IPA(key): /tyʁ.pi.tyd/

Noun

turpitude f (plural turpitudes)

  1. turpitude (depravity, wickedness)
  2. turpitude (depraved or wicked act)

Further reading
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