This adjective means 'detestable' or 'abominable,' describing what is morally or ritually loathsome. Paul uses it in Titus 1:16 to describe false teachers who 'profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being detestable (βδελυκτοὶ) and disobedient.' The term, common in Septuagint contexts of idolatry and impurity, conveys visceral repugnance. These teachers are not merely wrong but βδελυκτοί—their hypocrisy and moral corruption make them abhorrent to God. Classical usage is rare in this exact form, but the Septuagint employs it for abominations. Paul's condemnation is total: their lives contradict their lips, rendering them detestable despite their claims.