Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “iniquitous” come from?

Iniquitous derives from Middle English iniquite, Old French iniquité, and Latin iniquitas, from in- plus aequus meaning equal, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ne-.

iniquitous (English): wicked or sinful; morally objectionable

Definitions

  1. wicked or sinful; morally objectionable

Ancestry of “iniquitous”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishiniquityDeviation from what is right; gross injustice,...
2Middle Englishiniquitemalevolence, maliciousness, iniquity; enmity,...
3Old Frenchiniquité—
4Latininīquitās—
5Latininīquus—
6Latinīn-—
7Latinîn—
8Latinenlookǃ beholdǃ; reallyǃ?; come onǃ
9Proto-Italicenin
10Proto-Indo-Europeanh₁énin

Words derived from “iniquitous”

  • iniquitously
  • iniquitousness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European h₁én →