Atrocity

noun (countable and uncountable)

/əˈtrɒsɪti/

An extremely cruel, violent, or degrading act committed against a person; in the Indian legal context, specifically refers to offences committed against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes as defined under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

No appeal to political expediency can absolve a state of its duty to investigate and prosecute the atrocities committed against civilians, for impunity for such crimes corrodes the very legitimacy of the constitutional order.

Synonyms

barbaritycrueltyoutragebrutalitysavageryabomination

Antonyms

kindnessbenevolencehumanenessmercy

🌱 Word Family

atrocious (adj), atrociously (adv), atrociousness (n), atrocities (n pl), atrocity (n)

🔡 Root

Latin ater (black, dark) + -ox (quality suffix) → atrox (fierce, savage) → atrocitas (cruelty).

📜 Etymology

From Latin atrocitatem (nominative atrocitas, "cruelty, harshness, frightfulness"), from atrox ("fierce, savage, cruel"), from ater ("black, dark") + -ox (a suffix conveying appearance or quality).

🧠 Memory Hook

Hear "ATROCIOUS" inside ATROCITY, and trace it to Latin atrox (fierce) from ater 'black' — a deed so cruel it leaves a black, fiery mark on conscience.

🏛️ History & Culture 📖 Seen in: Social Legislation & Reservation Polic...

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