atrocity meaning
atrocity (n.) 1530s, enormous wickedness, from Middle French atrocitÃ© or directly from Latin atrocitatem (nominative atrocitas) cruelty, fierceness, harshness, noun of quality from atrox fierce, cruel, frightful, from PIE *atro-ek-, from root *ater-fire + root *okw-to see; thus of fiery or threatening appearance.