Question

enormity noun Although "enormity" has been used since the late 1700s to denote large size, this usage continues to be disparaged by various language commentators who argue that "enormity" should be reserved for senses related to "great wickedness." It is "enormousness," they insist (a hefty and considerably less common word), that should be used in reference to great size, despite the fact that, like "enormity," it too originally was used to denote wickedness or divergence from accepted moral standards. For better or worse, this proscription has been widely ignored by many English speakers, including professional writers. However one chooses to use them, "enormity" and "enormous" can both be traced back to the Latin "enormis," from the prefix "e-" ("out of") and "norma" ("rule," "pattern," or "carpenter's square"). 1 : very large size2 : the quality of great impact or importance

Accepted Answer

November 9, 2013 ih-NOR-muh-tee The enormity of the crimes perpetrated by the dictatorial regime has only just begun to receive the international attention it deserves.   "The gee-whiz enormity of the project wasn't lost on the dignitaries and hard-hatted utility crews who attended the tunnel-boring machine's unveiling." - From an article by Katherine Shaver in The Washington Post, April 10, 2013

Word	enormity
Date	November 9, 2013
Type	noun
Syllables	ih-NOR-muh-tee
Etymology	Although "enormity" has been used since the late 1700s to denote large size, this usage continues to be disparaged by various language commentators who argue that "enormity" should be reserved for senses related to "great wickedness." It is "enormousness," they insist (a hefty and considerably less common word), that should be used in reference to great size, despite the fact that, like "enormity," it too originally was used to denote wickedness or divergence from accepted moral standards. For better or worse, this proscription has been widely ignored by many English speakers, including professional writers. However one chooses to use them, "enormity" and "enormous" can both be traced back to the Latin "enormis," from the prefix "e-" ("out of") and "norma" ("rule," "pattern," or "carpenter's square").
Examples	The enormity of the crimes perpetrated by the dictatorial regime has only just begun to receive the international attention it deserves. "The gee-whiz enormity of the project wasn't lost on the dignitaries and hard-hatted utility crews who attended the tunnel-boring machine's unveiling." - From an article by Katherine Shaver in The Washington Post, April 10, 2013
Definition	1 : very large size 2 : the quality of great impact or importance

Enormity Denote Large Size Great November Noun Ih Nor Muh Tee