heinous, heinously, heinousness 1. Shockingly brutal or cruel; hateful; odious. 2. Grossly wicked or reprehensible; abominable: 'The shooter of the students committed a heinous crime.' 3. Etymology: from Old French haineus; from French haineux, from haine, 'hatred'; and hair, 'to hate'. Found on http://www.wordinfo.info/words/index/info/view_unit/3704/2