dēformĭtas, ātis, f. [deformis, no. I.], deformity, ugliness (good prose).
- I. Lit. (physically): quae si in deformitate corporis habet aliquid offensionis, quanta illa depravatio et foeditas animi debet videri? Cic. Off. 3, 29, 105; id. de Or. 2, 59, 239; cf. of mutilation, Amm. 14, 7, 16: in tanta deformitate, hideousness, Liv. 2, 23; Quint. 2, 13, 12 al.: aedificiorum, Suet. Ner. 38.
- II. Trop. (morally), baseness, vileness, deformity of character: an corporis pravitates habebunt aliquid offensionis, animi deformitas non habebit? Cic. Leg. 1, 19, 51; id. Att. 9, 10, 2; id. de Or. 1, 34, 156; Sen. Ben. 1, 10, 2; Quint. 6, 1, 12; 8, 3, 48.
Plur.: verba meretricum vitia atque deformitates significantia, Gell. 3, 3, 6 et saep.
- B. An uncouth style: rusticitas et rigor et deformitas adferunt frigus, Quint. 6, 1, 37.