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iniquity

[ ih-nik-wi-tee ]
/ ɪˈnɪk wɪ ti /
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noun, plural in·iq·ui·ties.

gross injustice or wickedness.
a violation of right or duty; wicked act; sin.

RELATED WORDS

infamy, immorality, abomination, baseness, crime, wrong, misdeed, injustice, wrongdoing, unfairness, offense, wickedness, unrighteousness, sinfulness, miscreancy

Nearby words

  1. inimitability,
  2. inimitable,
  3. inion,
  4. iniquitous,
  5. iniquitously,
  6. init.,
  7. initial,
  8. initial code,
  9. initial rhyme,
  10. initial teaching alphabet

Origin of iniquity

1300–50; Middle English < Latin inīquitās unevenness, unfairness, equivalent to inīqu(us) uneven, unfair (in- in-3 + -īquus, combining form of aequus even, equal) + -itās -ity
Can be confusedinequity iniquity
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for iniquity

British Dictionary definitions for iniquity

iniquity

/ (ɪˈnɪkwɪtɪ) /

noun plural -ties

lack of justice or righteousness; wickedness; injustice
a wicked act; sin
Derived Formsiniquitous, adjectiveiniquitously, adverbiniquitousness, noun

Word Origin for iniquity

C14: from Latin inīquitās, from inīquus unfair, from in- 1 + aequus even, level; see equal
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for iniquity

iniquity

n.

c.1300, "hostility, malevolence; a hostile action," from Old French iniquité "wickedness, unfavorable situation," from Latin iniquitatem (nominative iniquitas) "unequalness, unevenness, injustice," noun of quality from iniquus "unjust, unequal; slanting, steep," from in- "not" (see in- (1)) + aequus "just, equal" (see equal). For vowel change, see acquisition. Meaning "evil, wickedness" is from late 14c.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper