opprobrium

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The Word of the Day for December 28 is:=20

opprobrium   \uh-PROH-bree-um\   noun
          1 : something that brings disgrace=20
     2 a : public disgrace or ill fame that follows from conduct conside=
red grossly wrong or vicious *b : contempt, reproach=20

Example sentence:
          The athlete's admission of using steroids earned her much oppr=
obrium from former fans.

Did you know?
          "Opprobrium" was borrowed into English from Latin in the 17th =
century. It came from the Latin verb "opprobrare," which means "to repro=
ach." That verb in turn came from the noun "probrum," meaning "disgracef=
ul act" or "reproach." These gave us "opprobrium" as well as its adjecti=
ve form "opprobrious," which means "scurrilous" or "infamous." One might=
 commit an "opprobrious crime" or be berated with "opprobrious language.=
" "Probrum" gave English another word too, but you might have a little t=
rouble guessing it. It's "exprobrate," an archaic synonym of "censure" o=
r "upbraid."





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