notoriosus

Notoriosus is a Latin adjective meaning notorious or widely known, often with a negative or infamous connotation. In classical Latin, notoriosus described persons, actions, or things that were well known for a defect, fault, or remarkable trait. In modern usage, the form appears in discussions of language, rhetoric, and taxonomy as a descriptive epithet.

In taxonomy, notoriosus can function as a potential masculine species epithet in binomial nomenclature, with feminine and neuter forms notoriosa and notoriosum to agree with the genus name. When used in this way, the epithet would typically reflect a perceived attribute of the organism, such as a notorious behavior, distribution, or habit, though actual taxonomic practice follows strict rules about Latin grammar and nomenclatural codes. The use of such an epithet is not common and depends on the judgment of the taxonomist describing the species.

Outside biology, notoriosus appears in literary and scholarly contexts as a stylistic or pseudo-Latin label. Authors may employ it to evoke antiquity or to convey infamy in world-building, fictional characters, or place names. In everyday English, the related adjective notorios can surface in discussions of fame or infamy, though this is typically a translation or adaptation rather than a direct use of the Latin form.

Etymology notes: notoriosus derives from the Latin notoriosus, related to notus, meaning known. The term belongs to a class of Latin adjectives used to describe a characteristic and must align with gender and number in any formal naming or inscription.