Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unclean” come from?

Unclean comes from Middle English unclene, from Old English unclǣne, a negation of the adjective meaning pure or clear.

unclean (English): Dirty, soiled or foul; Not moral or chaste;...

Definitions

  1. Dirty, soiled or foul; Not moral or chaste;...

Ancestry of “unclean”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishunclene—
2Old Englishunclǣne—

Words derived from “unclean”

  • uncleanness
Every word from Old English unclǣne →