Generally, I think I have a fairly decently sized vocabulary. I can’t spell worth a crap, buy I know more than my fair share of words. Today I used the word enormity at work. I said, “The enormity of this project is overwhelming.” Meaning the great size/scope of this project is overwhelming. But alas, I was corrected, ever so politely, after the meeting.
Enormity is not the noun from enormous – it doesn’t mean size at all.
Enormity (noun) – A monstrously abnormal act, an unspeakable atrocity or the state of being unspeakably atrocious.
In days past, enormous meant “abnormal” but over time it changed in meaning to “extremely large.” Enormity’s meaning has not changed along with it. The word is derived from the Latin work enormis meaning “abnormal” based on e(x) meaning “out” + norma meaning norm.
Well, there you have it….I’d bet, however, that over time, my usages becomes adopted….then again, in an enormous number of years, I may be corrected for enormity’s use again.
