iniquity
/ɪnˈɪkwɪti/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 2.72 in modern English
20
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
4
Syllables
6
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An act of great injustice or unfairness; a sinful or wicked act; an unconscionable deed.
Countable
Example Sentences
- "And bycauſe our auncient enemye the Deuyl, who is the well and, ſpryng of iniquitie, and is not onely hymſelfe an homycide, a lyer, and and^([sic]) hater of the truth frõ the beginnyng: [...] Therefore like as we deſyre here to be delyuered from ſynne, ſo also we deſyre, that our heauenly father will ſaue vs, and defende vs from this euil the cauſer of ſynne, that is to ſaye, the Deuyll: [...]"
- "If you be ſo fond ouer her iniquity, giue her patent to offend, for if it touches not you, it comes neere no body."
- "Beholde, he putteth no truſt in his Saints, yea, the heauens are not cleane in his ſight. How much more abominable and filthie is man, which drinketh iniquitie like water?"
- "It will be found, when the Myſterie of iniquitie ſhall be unriddled, that, as they were their ſpawn the Anabaptiſts, the obſtructers of our Doctrinal Reformation, ſo, they are by their Miſſionaries ſent unto Corners and Hillie Countreys the obſtructers of our practical."
- "In the scanty number of reclaimed convicts, the noted George Barrington holds a conspicuous place. [...] His death took place nearly seven years ago: but for a considerable time previously he was in a state of insanity, produced, it is believed, by serious and sorrowful reflections on his early career of iniquity. [...] [H]is death was that of a sincere Christian."
- "It is one of the most surprising things that I have ever observed, That sanctity should be ashamed to look out, but iniquity show itself at noon. [...] Hence the company of rakes over their bottle, are not shy to open to another the mystery of iniquity in their most abandoned actions, and to glory in their shame."
Etymology
From Middle English iniquite, jniquite (“evil, wickedness, iniquity; evil act; hostility, malevolence; hostile act; a calamity, misfortune”), from Old French iniquité (modern French iniquité (“iniquity”)), from Latin inīquitās (“iniquity; inequality, unfairness; inequity, injustice”), from inīquus (“unequal, uneven, unfair; disadvantageous, unfavourable; hostile, unkind; unsuitable; wicked, wrong”) + -itās (variant of -tās (suffix forming a noun indicating a state of being)). Inīquus is derived from in- (prefix meaning ‘not’) + aequus (“equal; fair, impartial, just”). Piecewise doublet of inequity.
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: iniquite, iniquité, inīquitās
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ɪnˈɪkwɪti/
- British English: /ɪnˈɪkwɪti/