unjust
Meaning
not based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair
Structure
Usage
the court's decision was widely criticized as unjust.
he protested against the unjust treatment of the workers.
it is unjust to punish someone without a proper trial.
Etymology
the word 'unjust' is formed by the straightforward combination of the negative prefix 'un-' and the adjective 'just'. the root 'just' originates from latin iustus, meaning 'righteous' or 'lawful', which itself derives from ius, signifying 'law' or 'right'. the prefix 'un-', with its old english and ultimately proto-germanic ancestry, is one of the most common and productive means of forming negation in english. therefore, the literal construction 'not just' or 'not fair' has remained semantically transparent from its formation to its modern abstract meaning describing actions or situations that violate principles of fairness and morality.
Analysis
un- (a prefix of Germanic origin, from old english, indicating negation or reversal). just (from latin iustus, meaning 'righteous, equitable', from ius meaning 'law, right').