ignominious
adjective
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The "-nom-" of "ignominious" comes from "nomen," the Latin word for "name" or "repute." (It's also the root of "misnomer," "nomenclature," and "nominal," among others.) The "ig-" part of the word is akin to the negative prefix in-; when joined to the root "-nom-," it indicates the namelessness that goes with shame or dishonor. To suffer an ignominious fate is to lose the opportunity to make a name for oneself or to lose one's good name. When "ignominious" was first borrowed from a French form of the word in the 15th century, it meant "disgraced" or "dishonorable." "Ignominious" continues to have such meanings, but it also has somewhat milder meanings - "embarrassing" and "humiliating."
Examples of ignominious in a Sentence
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 Oct. 2025
On Thursday, Díaz's Braves tenure came to an ignominious end.
—Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Oct. 2025
In their ignominious history, the Padres have always had an outstanding closer and bullpen.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Sheen provides new details on many of the most ignominious moments of his life, including his dismissal from the hit sitcom and the wild interviews that came after.
—Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly, 9 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Ignominious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ignominious. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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ignominious
adjective
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