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untidy

[uhn-tahy-dee]
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adjective, un·ti·di·er, un·ti·di·est.
  1. not tidy or neat; slovenly; disordered: an untidy room; an untidy person.
  2. not well-organized or carried out: an untidy plan.
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verb (used with object), un·ti·died, un·ti·dy·ing.
  1. to mess up; disorder; disarrange: The guests untidied the room.
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Origin of untidy

Middle English word dating back to 1175–1225; see origin at un-1, tidy
Related formsun·ti·di·ly, adverbun·ti·di·ness, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for untidiness

Historical Examples

  • Books were strewn here and there, but there was no slovenliness or untidiness; and, ha!

    My New Curate

    P.A. Sheehan

  • "I'll leave this untidiness for your man to clear," said Kitson.

    The Green Rust

    Edgar Wallace

  • In spite of her untidiness, we all liked her, for she was always good company.

    Cricket at the Seashore

    Elizabeth Westyn Timlow

  • For heaven's sake forgive the untidiness of this whole note.

  • Ela was thinking deeply, and frowning at the untidiness of the table.

    The Secret House

    Edgar Wallace

British Dictionary definitions for untidiness

untidy

adjective -dier or -diest
  1. not neat; slovenly
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verb -dies, -dying or -died
  1. (tr) to make untidy
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Derived Formsuntidily, adverbuntidiness, noun
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 untidiness

untidy

adj.

early 13c., "untimely, unseasonable, unsuitable," from un- (1) "not" + tidy (adj.). Cf. West Frisian ontidich, Middle Dutch ontidich, Dutch ontijdig, Old High German unzitich, German unzeitig, Norwegian utidig "untimely, unseasonable, unfavorable." Meaning "poorly cared for, not neat" is recorded from mid-14c.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper