Notorious is a word used when someone or something is famous for doing something bad or naughty. Imagine a cookie jar that always gets empty, and everyone knows the cookie jar as the place where cookies disappear. The cookie jar is notorious for being empty because someone keeps sneaking cookies out of it when no one is looking.

Think of a character in a storybook who is always causing mischief. This character might be notorious because everyone in the story knows about their tricks and pranks. When people hear the character’s name, they might say, “Oh, that’s the one who always causes trouble!”

Picture a rainy cloud that always shows up on picnics. This cloud is notorious because every time people plan a picnic, it comes and brings rain, making people run for cover. The cloud doesn’t mean to be mean, but it’s known for ruining picnics.

Notorious is like having a reputation for something not so good. It’s like being a little bit famous, but not for the best reasons. People might remember someone or something because of the trouble they cause.