beryktade

Beryktade is a Swedish adjective meaning infamous or notorious. It describes someone or something that is widely known for negative reasons, such as involvement in crime, scandal, corruption, or other controversial actions. The base form is beryktad; the form beryktade is used for plural subjects or in definite constructions, as in de beryktade skandalerna (the infamous scandals) or den beryktade affären (the infamous affair).

Usage is common in journalism, politics, history, and cultural commentary. Beryktad carries a moral judgment beyond merely being well known; it implies that the notoriety is the defining feature of the person or thing described.

Notion and nuance: while beryktad can apply to individuals, organizations, events, or places, it signals stronger disapproval than neutral terms such as känd (well known) or berömd (renowned). It is typically reserved for cases where the reputation stems from misconduct, scandal, or controversial behavior, and it frequently appears in headlines or analytical prose about public controversy.

Etymology and related terms are generally discussed in linguistic contexts, but in everyday use, beryktade functions as a concise, evaluative descriptor. Related Swedish terms include berömd and känd, which denote positive or neutral fame, and skandal, which often accompanies beryktad usage in descriptions of notoriety.