Plural of atrocity; extremely cruel or brutal acts, especially those involving violence or inhumane treatment. Often refers to war crimes or systematic acts of cruelty against civilian populations.
From Latin 'atrocitas,' from 'atrox' meaning 'fierce, cruel, dark,' related to 'ater' meaning 'black.' The word entered English in the 16th century, initially describing any cruel act but increasingly used for large-scale systematic cruelty.
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