indign
English
WOTD – 30 January 2011
Etymology
Borrowed from Middle French indigne, from Latin indignus, from in- (“un-”) + dignus (“worthy, dignified”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ɪnˈdʌɪn/
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Adjective
indign (comparative more indign, superlative most indign)
- (archaic) Unworthy, undeserving.
- 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:
- even th'Almightie selfe she did maligne, / Because to man so mercifull he was, / And unto all his creatures so benigne, / Sith she her selfe was of his grace indigne […].
- (obsolete) disgraceful
- (obsolete) unbecoming
Related terms
Translations
unworthy — see unworthy
disgraceful — see disgraceful
unbecoming — see unbecoming