unrighteous
Meaning
not morally right or fair; wicked or unjust.
Structure
Usage
the prophet condemned the unrighteous actions of the king.
she fought against the unrighteous laws that oppressed the people.
in the story, the unrighteous are ultimately punished for their deeds.
Etymology
The word "unrighteous" is formed within English by the direct combination of the native negative prefix "un-" and the adjective "righteous." "righteous" itself has a deep Germanic heritage, originating from Old English rihtwīs, a compound of riht (right, correct, straight) and wīs (manner, wise), essentially meaning "in a right manner." The concept of "right" traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root reg-, meaning "to move in a straight line," which metaphorically extended to notions of correctness and justice. Therefore, "unrighteous" logically builds from these ancient roots, with its modern meaning of "not just or moral" emerging clearly from the literal negation of being in the right or straight path.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin (old english) meaning "not," used to give a negative or opposite force. - righteous: an adjective of english origin, from old english rihtwīs (right + wise), meaning "morally right or justifiable."