adj · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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UK, US:/ˈheɪnəs/
UK:/ˈhiːnəs/
UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
Australia:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪnəs
CMU ARPABET:HH EY1 N AH0 S
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Totally reprehensible.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
I hope they catch the person responsible for that heinous crime.
The perpetrators of this heinous act must be brought to justice.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adj
Meaning 2
Bad, evil or villainous.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
adjective satellite
Meaning 3
extremely wicked, deeply criminal
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
a flagitious crime
heinous accusations
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: flagitious
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
From Middle English hainous, from Old French haïneus (compare French haineux) from haïr (“to hate”), hadir (“to hate”) (compare Old French en-hadir (“to become filled with hate”)), from Frankish *hattjan (“to hate”) (compare Middle English hetien). More at hate. The fluctuation between pronunciations with /eɪ/ and /iː/ is old; the former reflects adoption of an unmonophthongised pronunciation of Old French -ai-, while the latter reflects a monophthongised form.
Across languages
Translations
58 source translations are retained for this English entry.
