Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Date: 1500-1600
Language: Latin
Origin: squalidus, from squalere 'to be dirty', from squalus 'dirty'

squalid

 adjective
     
squal‧id
1 very dirty and unpleasant because of a lack of care or money [↪ squalor]:
How can anyone live in such squalid conditions?
a tiny squalid apartment
2 especially British English immoral or dishonest:
squalid behaviour
a squalid affair
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

Dictionary pictures of the day
Do you know what each of these is called?
What is the word for picture 1? What is the word for picture 2? What is the word for picture 3? What is the word for picture 4?
Click on any of the pictures above to find out what it is called.

Explore our topic dictionary

Browse the dictionary