English

ungodly

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Opposite of
bad, dishonest, godly, immodest, immoral, incontinent, indecent, obscene, observant, pious, reprehensible, reverent, risque, shameless, unchaste, wicked
Frequency

29k
Pronounced as (IPA)
/ʌnˈɡɒdli/
Etymology

Inherited from Middle English
ungodli
Inherited from Old English
godlīċ
Cognate with Middle Dutch
ongodelijc
Cognate with Dutch
ongoddelijk
Cognate with Middle High German
ungötlich
Cognate with German
ungöttlich
Cognate with Old Norse
óguðligr
Cognate with Danish
ugudelig
Cognate with Icelandic
óguðlegur
Cognate with Swedish
ogudlig
In summary

From Middle English ungodli [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“belonging to God; resembling God, godlike”). Godli is derived from Old English godlīċ (“divine, godlike; godly”), from god (“god”) + -līċ (“suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘characteristic of, pertaining to’”). The English word may be analysed as un- + godly, and is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelijc (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungötlich (modern German ungöttlich), Old Norse óguðligr (“ungodly”) (Danish ugudelig, Icelandic óguðlegur), Swedish ogudlig.

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