indign

English

WOTD – 30 January 2011

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French indigne, from Latin indignus, from in- (“un-”) + dignus (“worthy, dignified”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪnˈdʌɪn/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

Adjective

indign (comparative more indign, superlative most indign)

1. (archaic) Unworthy, undeserving.
   • 1596, Edmund Spenser, “Book IV, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC:

     even th'Almightie selfe she did maligne, / Because to man so mercifull he was, / And unto all his creatures so benigne, / Sith she her selfe was of his grace indigne […].

2. (obsolete) disgraceful
3. (obsolete) unbecoming

Related terms

• indignant
• indignation
• indignity
• indignly
• dignity

Translations

unworthy — see unworthy

disgraceful — see disgraceful

unbecoming — see unbecoming

Anagrams

• dining, niding