/ ˈskwɒlɪd; NAmE ˈskwɑːlɪd/ adjective ( disapproving )
1.
( of places and living conditions ) very dirty and unpleasant
SYN filthy :
squalid housing
squalid, overcrowded refugee camps
2.
( of situations or activities ) involving low moral standards or dishonest behaviour
SYN sordid :
It was a squalid affair involving prostitutes and drugs.
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WORD ORIGIN
late 16th cent.: from Latin squalidus , from squalere be rough or dirty.