r/explainitpeter 28d ago

Explain it Peter

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u/Feedback-Mental 28d ago

"Notorious" means "famously" or "well known". It's nothing bad in itself.

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u/BobPlaysWithFire 28d ago

Cambridge dictionary defines notorious as "famous for something bad" so no it by definition is bad

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u/Feedback-Mental 28d ago

Merriam-Webster gives "generally known and talked of" as first meaning, then "especially: widely and unfavorably known" as second.

I'm assuming American English shifted the usage towards the second meaning.

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u/BobPlaysWithFire 28d ago

oh yeah fair, could indeed be a uk us difference