noun
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lack of justice or righteousness; wickedness; injustice
-
a wicked act; sin
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of iniquity
First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English, from Latin inīquitās “unevenness, unfairness,” from inīqu(us) “uneven, unfair” (from in- in- 3 + -īquus, combining form of aequus “even, plain, just”; see equal) + -itās -ity
Compare meaning
How does iniquity compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
An iniquity is a really unfair or really immoral act. If you're a journalist, you may uncover a terrible iniquity that forces a famous politician to step down. Iniquity comes from Latin, combining the prefix in-, “not,” and aequus, which means “equal” or “just.” So iniquity literally means “not just.” Iniquity can also be used to say that something lacks moral or spiritual principles. Some would call Las Vegas a “den of iniquity,” implying that sinful or wicked behavior occurs there. Others would just call it a vacation.
Vocabulary lists containing iniquity
The Crucible
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To Kill a Mockingbird
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Othello
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“This was not the den of iniquity that has been portrayed.”
From Seattle Times • May 2, 2024
Hollywood, dreamily identified here as “the most magical place in the world,” has in fact always been a seething cauldron of iniquity, vulgarity and vice.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2023
Germans reply that France is hardly in a position to give lessons about the iniquity of state aid.
From BBC • Oct. 25, 2022
At some point, patience with iniquity becomes complicity.
From Salon • Nov. 23, 2020
Truth was I didn’t know what a divining parlor or a den of iniquity was but you can bet I planned to find out.
From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
