Vituperating

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. Expressing harsh and angry language that severely criticizes or blames someone
2. Using strong, abusive words to angrily attack or reproach another person
3. Delivering bitter and severe verbal condemnation intended to insult or criticize harshly

Etymology: "Vituperating" is the present participle of "vituperate," which comes from Latin "vituperare," meaning "to blame, find fault with, or censure." That verb is built from "vitium," a fault or defect, and "parare," to prepare or make ready, so the literal sense is something like "to prepare a fault" or "to bring a fault to light." The "vitu-" element is an old Latin root connected to "vitium" that also appears in words about blame and imperfection. English borrowed "vituperate" in the early 1600s, and it stayed fairly formal. Notably, the Latin word had a narrower core than the English one: "vituperare" was about finding fault and censuring, and the stronger modern sense of harsh, insulting denunciation developed in English use. The participle "vituperating" follows the regular pattern of adding "-ing" to the verb, so it describes the act of loudly or bitterly condemning someone while it is happening.

Synonyms: scolding, reviling, rebuking, denouncing, berating

Antonyms: praising, complimenting