Sordidity

Sordidity is the quality or state of being sordid, encompassing both physical dirtiness and moral degradation. It may describe objects, places, or behavior that are dirty, squalid, repulsive, or morally corrupt.

Etymology and usage: The term derives from the Latin sordidus, meaning dirty. It entered English with senses related to filthiness and has since developed a broader moral connotation. In modern usage, sordidity is relatively uncommon; more frequent choices include sordidness, filthiness, or moral degradation, depending on context. The word is most often found in formal, historical, or literary writing and in analytical discussions about social decline or ethical failure.

Nuance: Sordidity can refer to external conditions—such as a rain-soaked, trash-strewn alley—or to internal qualities of persons and institutions, such as a culture of corruption or exploitation. It is distinct from merely describing odor or smell, though sensory disgust can accompany morally sordid situations.

Examples (illustrative, not quoted): The report criticized the sordidity of municipal neglect; The novel exposes the sordidity of a corrupt regime.

See also: sordidness, filthiness, degradation, corruption, morality.