Flagitious, a.
Etymology: [L. flagitiosus, fr. flagitium a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare to burn, E. flagrant.]
1. Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; -- said of acts, crimes, etc. Debauched principles and flagitious practices. I. Taylor.
2. Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; -- said of persons. Pope.
3. Characterized by scandalous crimes or vices; as, flagitious times. Pope.
Syn. -- Atrocious; villainous; flagrant; heinous; corrupt; profligate; abandoned. See Atracious. -- Fla*gi"tious*ly, adv. -- Fla*gi"tious*ness, n. A sentence so flagitiously unjust. Macaulay.