noun
-
lack of justice or righteousness; wickedness; injustice
-
a wicked act; sin
Other Word Forms
- iniquitous adjective
- iniquitously adverb
- iniquitousness noun
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”; 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
Colonialism, once equated by the West with civilizing progress, became synonymous with iniquity.
From New York Times • Dec. 10, 2023
But through James’ point of view, it’s just another coming-of-age tale for a young white man who finds himself tickled and intrigued by this seeming den of artistic iniquity.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2023
Germans reply that France is hardly in a position to give lessons about the iniquity of state aid.
From BBC • Oct. 25, 2022
The brash iniquity of the proposal tempted and amused the chaplain for a second or two.
From "Catch-22" by Joseph Heller
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.
