Skip to content

atrocité

atrocity

noun a-tro-see-TEH Rare
People & Society Military

Origin: Latin atrocitas, from atrox (cruel, terrible)

Usage Note

Atrocité describes an act of extreme cruelty or a deeply shocking thing. The plural atrocités often refers to war crimes or mass violence. The adjective atroce (atrocious) is common in both literal and hyperbolic registers — une douleur atroce (excruciating pain).

Examples

"Les atrocités de la guerre ont choqué le monde."

Natural Translation

The atrocities of the war shocked the world.

Free starter pack

Building your French vocabulary?

Get the 100 most common French words as a free PDF — one email, no spam.

Explore French by topic