/ ˈmɔːtɪfaɪ; NAmE ˈmɔːrt-/ verb
( mor·ti·fies , mor·ti·fy·ing , mor·ti·fied , mor·ti·fied ) [ usually passive ] to make sb feel very ashamed or embarrassed
SYN humiliate :
[ vn to inf ]
She was mortified to realize he had heard every word she said.
[also vn , vn that ]
► mor·ti·fi·ca·tion / ˌmɔːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn; NAmE ˌmɔːrt-/ noun [ U ]
► mor·ti·fy·ing adjective :
How mortifying to have to apologize to him!
••
WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the senses put to death , deaden , and subdue by self-denial ): from Old French mortifier , from ecclesiastical Latin mortificare kill, subdue, from mors , mort- death.