ugly — unpleasant or repulsive in appearance
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: unpleasant or repulsive in appearance
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈʌɡli/
Example Sentences
- My selfie turned out so ugly that even my phone asked if I wanted to delete it.
- The weather turned ugly just as we started our picnic.
- Don't judge a book by its cover - even an ugly caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly.
ugly
ADJECTIVE[/ˈʌɡli/]
unpleasant or repulsive in appearance
unpleasant or repulsive in appearance
An ugly coat worn snugly beats a fancy one worn smugly!
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word 'ugly' derives from Old Norse 'uggligr', meaning 'frightful' or 'fearsome'. It entered Middle English in the 13th century from Norwegian, originally describing something that inspired fear or dread before gradually evolving to mean 'visually displeasing' or 'aesthetically offensive'.
Breakdown
Old Norse 'uggligr' combines 'uggr' (fear, dread) + '-ligr' (adjective suffix meaning 'characterized by'), literally meaning 'characterized by fear'. The morphological shift from 'frightful' to 'physically unattractive' reflects a semantic evolution in Middle English.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“My selfie turned out so ugly that even my phone asked if I wanted to delete it.”
“The weather turned ugly just as we started our picnic.”
“Don't judge a book by its cover - even an ugly caterpillar becomes a beautiful butterfly.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.