Outrage

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈaʊt.ɹeɪd͡ʒ/

Definitions

1. An intense or fierce feeling of anger and indignation ; a shocking or offensive act that causes strong emotional disturbance
2. A powerful emotional reaction of fury or resentment ; an action or event regarded as highly improper or morally wrong
3. A deep feeling of rage or outrage ; a deed or circumstance that provokes public anger or disapproval

Etymology: The word "outrage" looks like "out" plus "rage," and its spelling and pronunciation seem to invite that reading, but the two halves are not etymologically related at all. The real ancestor is Old French "oultrage," meaning "excess," which descends from a Vulgar Latin form "ultrāticum," literally "a going beyond," built on Latin "ultrā," "beyond." The sense of going past a limit is still visible in the older meaning of excess, and the modern idea of a shocking act is a step beyond ordinary bounds of decency. English borrowed the noun from Middle English, and speakers later reshaped it into the familiar "out-" and "rage" form, which is why it sounds the way it does today. The verb came into English from Old French "oultragier," so the two forms share a single French source even though they arrived in separate steps.

Synonyms: indignation, fury, anger, scandal, affront

Antonyms: calm, composure, contentment