Sullied
/ˈsʌl.id/noun
Soiled, stained, or tarnished, especially in a moral or reputational sense.
Did you know?The word comes from an old English verb meaning to soil or stain, and its moral sense grew from the idea that reputation could be physically dirtied like cloth.
Etymological Timeline
Old French
OF
soulier / souiller
“to soil, stain, defile”
Late Latin
LL
sugillare
“to blacken, bruise, vilify”
Latin
LA
sub- + gula
“under the throat; to strike under the chin/throat”
Middle English
ME
sullien
“to soil, tarnish, defile”
Modern English
EN
sullied
“soiled or tarnished, especially in reputation”