Fla*gi"tious (?), a. [L. flagitiosus, fr. flagitium a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare to burn, E. flagrant.]

1.

Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; -- said of acts, crimes, etc.

Debauched principles and flagitious practices. I. Taylor.

2.

Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; -- said of persons.

Pope.

3.

Characterized by scandalous crimes or vices; as, flagitious times.

Pope.

Syn. -- Atrocious; villainous; flagrant; heinous; corrupt; profligate; abandoned. See Atrocious. -- Fla*gi"tious*ly, adv. -- Fla*gi"tious*ness, n.

A sentence so flagitiously unjust. Macaulay.

 

© Webster 1913.