hideosus

Hideosus is an English adjective used to describe something that provokes strong aversion or repulsion due to grotesque, monstrous, or highly unpleasant qualities. It is a rare, largely literary term, typically encountered as a more formal or archaic alternative to hideous.

Etymology: Hideosus is derived from the Latin hideosus, formed with the suffix -osus meaning full of or characterized by a given quality. In English lexicography it is usually labeled as archaic or literary, and is historically related to the modern word hideous.

Usage: In practice, hideosus appears mainly in academic discussion, historical writing, or stylistic prose. It can serve to intensify description without resorting to more common terms, for example: a hideosus mime of decay.

Cultural references: The term is not widely used in mainstream media, but may appear in fantasy or historical fiction, poetry, or critical writing as a decorative or rhetorical device.

See also: hideous; grotesque; repulsive.