Hypertext Webster Gateway: "enormity"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Enormity \E*nor"mi*ty\, n.; pl. {Enormities}. [L. enormitas, fr.
enormis enormous: cf. F. ['e]normit['e]. See {Enormous}.]
1. The state or quality of exceeding a measure or rule, or of
being immoderate, monstrous, or outrageous.
The enormity of his learned acquisitions. --De
Quincey.
2. That which is enormous; especially, an exceeding offense
against order, right, or decency; an atrocious crime;
flagitious villainy; an atrocity.
These clamorous enormities which are grown too big
and strong for law or shame. --South.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
enormity
n 1: the quality of being outrageous [syn: {outrageousness}]
2: (informal) vastness of size or extent; "in careful usage the
noun enormity is not used to express the idea of great
size"; "universities recognized the enormity of their
task"
3: the quality of extreme wickedness
4: an act of extreme wickedness
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