lurid (adj) - shocking, sensational, or horrific; glaring or gaudy; pale or glowing
luridness is the quality or state of being ghastly, grim, or unnaturally pale
BREAKDOWN: The word lurid derives directly from the Latin lūridus meaning pale yellow, sallow, or ghastly. The earliest connotation of lurid signified a sickly yellow or bruised color associated with death or horror. Over time, the word became associated both with sickly pallor or with glowing reds and oranges. By the mid-19th century, lurid described anything particularly dreadful, shocking, or sensational.
“Blessed are all simple emotions, be they dark or bright! It is the lurid intermixture of the two that produces the illuminating blaze of the infernal regions.” —Nathaniel Hawthorne
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily derived from classical roots.]