Annus Horribilis

Pronunciation: /ˈænəs hɔˈrɪbɪlɪs/

Definitions of annus horribilis

noun a Latin phrase meaning 'horrible year'; used to describe a particularly difficult or disastrous year

Example Sentences

A1 Last year was an annus horribilis for me.

A2 The pandemic made 2020 an annus horribilis for many people around the world.

B1 The economic downturn turned 2008 into an annus horribilis for the country.

B2 The political scandals and natural disasters of 2016 made it an annus horribilis for the government.

C1 The company's annus horribilis in 2019 was marked by multiple lawsuits and financial losses.

C2 The artist's annus horribilis in 2017 led to a period of reflection and reinvention in their work.

Examples of annus horribilis in a Sentence

formal The year 2020 was truly an annus horribilis for many people around the world.

informal Last year was a total annus horribilis, wasn't it?

slang Man, 2020 was one big annus horribilis.

figurative Just like a stormy sea, life can sometimes throw us into an annus horribilis.

Grammatical Forms of annus horribilis

• plural: anni horribiles
• comparative: more annus horribilis
• superlative: most annus horribilis
• present tense: annus horribilis
• future tense: will be annus horribilis
• perfect tense: has been annus horribilis
• continuous tense: is being annus horribilis
• singular: annus horribilis
• positive degree: annus horribilis
• infinitive: to be annus horribilis
• gerund: being annus horribilis
• participle: annus horribilis

Origin and Evolution of annus horribilis

First Known Use: 1601 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The phrase 'annus horribilis' originates from Latin.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in Latin to refer to a year of disaster or misfortune, the phrase 'annus horribilis' gained popularity in English after Queen Elizabeth II used it in a speech in 1992 to describe the difficult year the Royal Family had experienced.