a. [ L. flagitiosus, fr. flagitium a shameful or disgraceful act, orig., a burning desire, heat of passion, from flagitare to demand hotly, fiercely; cf. flagrare to burn, E. flagrant. ] 1. Disgracefully or shamefully criminal; grossly wicked; scandalous; shameful; -- said of acts, crimes, etc. [ 1913 Webster ]

Debauched principles and flagitious practices. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Guilty of enormous crimes; corrupt; profligate; -- said of persons. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Characterized by scandalous crimes or vices; as, flagitious times. Pope.

Syn. -- Atrocious; villainous; flagrant; heinous; corrupt; profligate; abandoned. See Atrocious.

-- Fla*gi"tious*ly, adv. -- Fla*gi"tious*ness, n. [ 1913 Webster ]

A sentence so flagitiously unjust. Macaulay. [ 1913 Webster ]