General
mortified
What does mortified mean?
Used hyperbolically for mild social awkwardness.
"She called me by the wrong name, I was mortified for her."
Origin
Standard English 'mortified' (from Latin for 'made dead'), but used in Ireland with notably high frequency and lower threshold — applied to everyday embarrassment, not just deep shame.
Frequently asked questions
What does mortified mean in Irish slang?
It means embarrassed — and in Ireland it's used for even minor social cringe, not just deep humiliation.
Is mortified Irish slang or standard English?
The word is standard English, but the Irish use it constantly and for much smaller embarrassments.
What's a similar Irish word for embarrassed?
'Scarlet' — as in 'I was scarlet for him' — means cripplingly embarrassed too.
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