Hidelous

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Extremely ugly or unpleasant to look at, so much so that it shocks or disgusts the viewer
2. Dreadfully repulsive in appearance, causing horror or strong revulsion in anyone who sees it
3. An archaic spelling describing something grotesque, frightful, and deeply offensive to the eye

Etymology: "Hidelous" is not a standard English spelling. The word people almost always mean is "hideous," which has a surprising link to bristling hair. It entered English around 1300 from Anglo-French "hidous," a form of Old French "hideus," built on "hide," meaning fright or dread. That "hide" is probably related to Latin "hispidus," meaning rough or bristly, so the idea may be a horrified shudder that makes the hair stand on end. The "-ous" ending is the ordinary French and Latin adjective suffix, found in words like "famous" and "dangerous." "Hideous" is a spelling that has been stable since the 1600s, and in the sense of extremely ugly or repellent it has barely shifted. The fright meaning it began with has largely faded from everyday use.