misbegotten

American  

[mis-bi-got-n] / ˌmɪs bɪˈgɒt n /

Also misbegot

adjective

1. unlawfully or irregularly begotten; begotten; born of unmarried parents; illegitimate.

   his misbegotten son.

2. badly conceived, made, or carried out.

   his misbegotten plan.

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misbegotten British  

/ ˌmɪsbɪˈɡɒtən /

adjective

1. unlawfully obtained

   misbegotten gains

2. badly conceived, planned, or designed

   a misbegotten scheme

3. Also: misbegot.  literary illegitimate; bastard

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Etymology

Origin of misbegotten

First recorded in 1540–50; mis- ¹ + begotten

Example Sentences

It wasn’t their fault that the wars they found themselves in were misbegotten and mismanaged.

From Salon

Thanks to our current misbegotten model of manhood, we are once again arguing about this moral question: Should former Cincinnati Reds player and manager Pete Rose be inducted into Baseball’s Hall of Fame?

From Salon

He would redeem his misbegotten career and go out “in a blaze of glory,” as he would put it.

From Los Angeles Times

His activism earned him the lasting enmity of those who supported the misbegotten war.

From Los Angeles Times

Will Congress ever investigate this misbegotten operation and finally nail down the chain of events?

From Salon