immorally
UK[ɪˈmɒrəli]US[ɪˈmɔːrəli]
adv
in a way that is morally wrong or does not conform to accepted standards of behavior.
adv
in a manner that is wicked or evil.
Morpheme Breakdown
im
moral
ly
im
not
moral
relating to principles of right and wrong
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
the word "immorally" is a layered construction tracing back to classical antiquity. its core, "moral," originates from the latin moralis, coined by cicero to translate the greek ēthikos and rooted in mos, meaning societal custom or habit. the negative prefix "im-," an assimilated form of latin "in-" meaning "not," was attached to negate this concept, forming "immoral" to describe actions contrary to established ethical customs. finally, the old english adverbial suffix "-ly" was appended, a productive grammatical element that converts the adjective into a modifier describing the manner of an action, thus completing the word's journey to signify "in a manner not conforming to moral custom."
Analysis
Structure: im (not) + moral (relating to principles of right and wrong) + ly (adverb suffix)
- im: a latin-origin prefix meaning "not" or "without," a variant of 'in-' used before 'm,' 'p,' and 'b'.
- moral: from latin moralis, meaning "pertaining to manners or character," derived from mos (plural mores), meaning "custom, habit, manner."
- ly: an old english suffix used to form adverbs from adjectives, indicating "in a manner of."
Examples
the company was accused of acting immorally by exploiting child labor.
he argued that lying, even for a good cause, is behaving immorally.
the character in the novel chooses to profit immorally from his friend's misfortune.