Lewis & Short

sordĭdus, a, um, adj. [sordeo], dirty, unclean, foul, filthy, squalid, sordid (class.).

  1. I. Lit. (syn.: squalidus, obscenus): vestem squalam et sordidam, Enn. ap. Non. 504, 6 (Trag. v. 370 Vahl.): amictus, Verg. A. 6, 301; cf.: sordidior toga, Mart. 1, 104, 5: mappa, Hor. Ep. 1, 5, 22; Mart. 7, 20, 8: lana, Ov. A. A. 3, 222: fumus, Hor. C. 4, 11, 11: at pol nitent, haud sordidae videntur ambae, Plaut. Bacch. 5, 2, 6: servolicolae, id. Poen. 1, 2, 55: nati, Hor. C. 2, 18, 28; cf.: magnos duces Non indecoro pulvere sordidos, id. ib. 2, 1, 22: puer sordidissimus dentibus, Petr. 64, 6 et saep.
    Esp.: sordido in loco sedere, Val. Max. 9, 13, 2.
    Transf., of mourners, clad in mourning, Cic. Mur. 40, 86.
    Poet.: Auctumnus calcatis sordidus uvis, Ov. M. 2, 29; id. F. 4, 897; Col. poët. 10, 44: terga suis, sooty, dingy, Ov. M. 8, 648.
    Prov.: saepe est etiam sub palliolo sordido sapientia, wisdom is often hid under a ragged cloak, Caecil. ap. Cic. Tusc. 3, 23, 56.
    1. B. Transf., low, base, mean, as to birth, rank, or condition; poor, humble, small, paltry (syn.: illiberalis, infimus): causam commisisse homini egenti, sordido, sine honore, sme censu, Cic. Fl. 22, 52; id. Att. 8, 4, 2; id. Leg. 3, 16, 35; Hor. C. 1, 28, 14.
      Sup.: sordidissimus quisque, Liv. 1, 47, 11: familiae sordidissima pars, Petr. 132, 3; cf.: loco non humili solum sed etiam sordido ortus, Liv. 22, 25, 18: a sordidis initiis ad summa crevere, Just. 2, 6, 2: sordidum et obscurum Macedonum nomen, id. 6, 9, 7: genus alicujus, id. 22, 1, 1: panis, Plaut. As. 1, 2, 16; Sen. Ep. 18, 5: villula, Cic. Att. 12, 27, 1; cf. tecta, Luc. 4, 396: sedes, id. 5, 9: lar villae, Mart. 12, 57, 2: rura (with humiles casae), Verg. E. 2, 28: aratra, Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 414; hence also, otia, i. e. ruris, Mart. 1, 56, 4
  2. II. Trop., low, mean, base, abject, vile, despicable, disgraceful (syn. turpis).
    1. A. In gen., Cic. Phil. 1, 8, 20: iste omnium turpissimus et sordidissimus, id. Att. 9, 9, 3: multo homo sordidissimus, id. Scaur. 2, § 23: homo furiosus ac sordidus, id. Q. Fr. 1, 1, 6, § 19: nec minus laetabor, cum te semper sordidum, quam si paulisper sordidatum viderem, id. Pis. 41, 99: illiberales et sordidi quaestus mercenariorum omnium, quorum operae, non quorum artes emuntur … Sordidi etiam putandi, qui mercantur a mercatoribus, quod statim vendant, etc. … Opifices omnes in sordidā arte versantur, etc. … mercatura autem, si tenuis est, sordida putanda est, etc., id. Off. 1, 42, 150: lucrum, Quint. 1, 2, 16 sq.; cf.: sordidissima ratio et inquinatissima, Cic. Off. 2, 6, 21: qui (oratores) ne sordidiores quidem (artis) repudiarint (opp. praeclarissimas), id. de Or. 3, 32, 128: virtus repulsae nescia sordidae, Hor. C. 3, 2, 17: adulterium, Liv. 1, 58: nomen, Quint. 8, 3, 21: verba, id. 8, 3, 17; 8, 3, 49; 2, 5, 10: multa, id. 2, 12, 7: omnia, id 10, 1, 9: homines nullā re bonā dignos, cum quibus comparari sordidum, confligere autem miserum et periculosum sit, Cic. Rep. 1, 5, 9; id. Off. 2, 14, 50; cf.: qui pecuniam praeferre amicitiae sordidum existiment, id. Lael. 17, 63.
    2. B. In partic., mean, niggardly, penurious, sordid (cf. parcus): ita sordidus, ut se Non umquam servo melius vestiret, Hor. S. 1, 1, 96; 1, 1, 65; 1, 2, 10; 2, 3, 164; Quint. 5, 13, 26; Plin. Ep. 2, 6, 1 (opp. sumptuosus): perjurium, Phaedr. 4, 19, 23: cupido, Hor. C. 2, 16, 16; cf. Cic. Off. 1, 42, 150 supra.
      Hence, adv.: sordĭdē.
      1. 1. Lit., dirtily, foully: per plateas tractus est sordidissime, through the deepest mire, Lampr. Heliog. 33 med.
      2. 2. Transf., meanly, basely: quo sordidius et abjectius nati sunt, Tac. Or. 8.
      3. 3. Trop.
        1. a. Vulgarly, unbecomingly, poorly: loquitur laute et minime sordide, Plaut. Mil. 4, 2, 11: dicere, Cic. de Or. 2, 83, 339: contionari, id. Att. 15, 2, 2: declamare (opp. splendide atque ornate), Suet. Rhet. 6; Gell. 15, 4, 3.
        2. b. Meanly, stingily, penuriously, sordidly: nimis illum sordide Simonidi dixisse, se dimidium ejus ei, quod pactus esset, pro illo carmine daturum, Cic. de Or. 2, 86, 352: facere aliquid (opp. largissime), Suet. Dom. 9: gerere proconsulatum, Plin. Ep. 3, 9, 2.