ungodly

ungodly · adjective¹

1. Old English · inherited fromgodlīċ“divine, godlike; godly”
2. Middle English · inherited fromungodli
3. English todayungodly

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.

ungodly · adverb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*gʰedʰ-“to join, unite; to suit”
2. Old English · derived fromgōdlīċe“goodly”
3. Middle English · inherited fromungodli“cruelly, maliciously, wickedly; unfairly, unlawfully, wrongly; discourteously, rudely”
4. English todayungodly

From Middle English ungodli (“cruelly, maliciously, wickedly; unfairly, unlawfully, wrongly; discourteously, rudely”) [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“excellently; pleasingly, splendidly; courteously, graciously; gladly, willingly; righteously; properly, rightly; at all, possibly; much”). Godli is probably derived from Old English gōdlīċe (“goodly”), from gōd (“good”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *gʰedʰ- (“to join, unite; to suit”)) + -līċe (suffix forming adverbs); thus, equivalent to un- + good + -ly. The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelike, ongodlike (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungöttlich, Swedish ogudelike, ogudlike (both obsolete), ogudligt.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• 16th–17th c. In an impious, irreverent, or ungodly manner; ungodlily.