Does Infamous only mean somone who has been evil?

by

Im arguing with my friends that infamous does not necessary mean a perosn who has been evil in character such as Hitler and could also mean somone who has been progressive in human advancment such as Edison or Ienstein. Opinions???

✅ Answers

? Best Answer

  • Famous is being well known to many people. Infamous is the same but for reasons of where they have done something bad.

  • Famous means well known for the right reasons.

    Infamous means well known for the wrong reasons – so I’m afraid you are incorrect and your friends are right.

    And if you don’t believe me, this is the Oxford English Dictionary definition of infamous:

    infamous – adjective. LME.
    [ORIGIN Medieval Latin infamosus for Latin infamis: see infamy, -ous.]

    1 Of ill fame or repute; notorious, especially for wickedness, evil, etc. LME.

    examples – C. Thirlwall: He appears to have been more infamous for sacrilege than for bloodshed. C. Francis: The vessels packed with Irish emigrants were infamous for overcrowding, disease and frequency of shipwrecks.

    2 Deserving of infamy, shamefully wicked or vile; abominable. L15.

    example H Maundrell: Detest the very ground on which was acted such an infamous Treachery.

  • First let’s start with a definition:

    well known for some bad quality or deed: an infamous war criminal.
    • wicked; abominable: the medical council disqualified him for infamous misconduct.
    • Law, historical (of a person) deprived of all or some citizens’ rights as a consequence of conviction for a serious crime.

    ORIGIN late Middle English: from medieval Latin infamosus, from Latin infamis (based on fama ‘fame’).

    In summary it is a person that has gained reputation with malevolent acts so unless Einstein worked on a project on nuclear weapons or any such thing that I am not aware of then he is probably not infamous :p

    Source(s):
    But I’m Greek, what do I know?

  • Infamous is known for bad or dark or unpopular reasons – some may be respected after the fact but they WERE infamous in their own time. Picture Galileo, now recognised as progressive but investigated by the inquisition in his own life.

  • think notorious and you are closer to infamous. it’s famous for the wrong reasons. like the bombers.

    • Leave a Comment