adj · 2 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
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
Received-Pronunciation:/vɪˈt͡ʃuːpɹətɪv/
Received-Pronunciation:/vaɪˈt͡ʃuːpɹətɪv/
Received-Pronunciation:/vɪˈtjuːpɹətɪv/
Received-Pronunciation:/vaɪˈtjuːpɹətɪv/
US:/vəˈtuːpɚətɪv/
US:/vaɪˈtuːpɚətɪv/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:V AY2 T UW1 P ER0 AH0 T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
CMU ARPABET 2:V AH0 T UW1 P ER0 AH0 T IH0 V
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
adj
Meaning 1
Marked by harsh abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
Floris gave the play a vituperative review laced with frequent personal insults.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
adjective satellite
Meaning 2
marked by harshly abusive criticism
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
his scathing remarks about silly lady novelists
her vituperative railing
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: scathing
Antonyms: none provided
History
Etymology
Formed from vituperātus, perfect passive participle of Latin vituperō (“to blame, to censure”) + -ive; by surface analysis, vituperate + -ive.
Across languages
Translations
21 source translations are retained for this English entry.
German:
schmähend
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
German:
tadelnd
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
German:
scharfzüngig
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Irish:
scallóideach
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Irish:
aithiseach
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Irish:
spídiúil
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Māori:
ngutu momoho
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Norwegian Bokmål:
dadlende
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Norwegian Bokmål:
klandrende
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Norwegian Bokmål:
kritiserende
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Norwegian Bokmål:
lastende
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Norwegian Bokmål:
skjellende
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Polish:
potępiający
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Russian:
оскорби́тельный
(oskorbítelʹnyj)
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Russian:
бранный
(brannyj)
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Swedish:
smädande
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Swedish:
förolämpande
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Swedish:
hätsk
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Swedish:
klandrande
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Swedish:
nedsättande
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
Swedish:
skymfande
— marked by harsh spoken or written abuse; abusive, often with ranting or railing
