unleavenedness

un·leav·en·ed·ness
U1N1L1E1A1V4E1N1E1D2N1E1S1S1
UK/(ˌ)ʌnˈlɛvn̩dnəs/UK, dated/-nɪs/US/ˌʌnˈlɛvəndnəs/

noun

Of bread, etc.: the state of not being raised with a leaven or raising agent such as yeast.

Opposite
Scrabble 18

Meanings

noununleavenedness (uncountable)
  1. The condition or state of being unleavened.
    1. uncountableOf bread, etc.: the state of not being raised with a leaven or raising agent such as yeast.

      'Unleavened cakes.' Heb[rew] 'Cakes of unleavenednesses;' as intensitive mode of expression equivalent to 'altogether unleavened.'

      1833, George Bush, chapter II, in Questions and Notes Critical and Practical upon the Book of Leviticus; […], New York, N.Y.: John P. Haven, […], →OCLC, page 17
      2 more examples

      The passover lamb was to be roast with fire, apparently that the analogy between it and the burnt-offering might be as far as possible complete. […] unleavened bread was to be eaten with it, leaven […] being generated of corruption, and so symbolic of decay and foulness; subsequently in the law, this prescription of unleavenedness was extended over all offerings of a cereal character: see Lev[iticus] ii. 11.

      1872, Henry Alford, “[Exodus XII:8]”, in W[illiam] T[homas] B[ullock], editor, The Book of Genesis, and Part of the Book of Exodus: […], London: Strahan & Co., […], →OCLC, footnote, page 267, column 2

      [T]he Passover day itself; Nisan 14, was commonly called the first of the unleavens, or the first day of the unleaveneds by all first century writers. Therefore, we can conclude, without a doubt that the Passover day was a full day of unleavenedness, most particularly bread.

      2010, Ben T. Ambrose, “Appendix Y: Christ’s Last Passover—Leavened or Unleavened?”, in Fred R. Coulter, The Christian Passover: What Does It Mean? When Should It be Observed—the 14th or the 15th?, 3rd edition, Hollister, Calif.: York Publishing Company, →ISBN, page 457

      Antonyms: leavenedness

    2. figurativelyuncountableThe condition or quality of not being controlled or moderated by some characteristic, such as courtesy, tact, etc.; immoderation, unrestraint.
      1 more example

      The Englishman will not adapt himself to his surroundings; he is not in the least bit an imitative animal; he will be nothing but an Englishman, and is out of place—an anomaly—in any country but his own. […] In this country he is too generally arrogant, fault-finding, and supercilious. The very traits of loudness, sharpness, and unleavenedness which I complain of in our national manners, he very frequently exemplifies in an exaggerated form.

      1875, John Burroughs, “An October Abroad: II. English Characteristics”, in Winter Sunshine (The Writings of John Burroughs; II), Riverby edition, Boston, Mass.; New York, N.Y.: Houghton Mifflin Company […], published 1904, →OCLC, pages 193–194

      Synonyms: uncontrolledness · Antonyms: leavenedness

    3. figurativelyuncountableChristianityThe condition or quality or being unaffected by sin; purity, sinlessness.

      Participation in the sacrifice of Christ presumes unleavenedness in the participants; the unleavened bread and the passover are related (objectively) as repentance and faith (subjectively): […]

      [1900], G. G. Findlay, “The First Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians”, in R[ichard] J[ohn] Knowling, James Denney, G. G. Findlay, edited by W[illiam] Robertson Nicoll, I: The Acts of the Apostles; II: St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans; III. St. Paul’s First Epistle to the Corinthians (The Expositor’s Greek Testament; II), London; New York, N.Y.: Hodder and Stoughton, →OCLC, page 810, column 1
      3 more examples

      As [John] Chrysostom and Anselm [of Canterbury] say, as by baptism you were made unleavened, i.e., pure from the leaven of sin, so consequently you are, or ought to be, from thenceforth unleavened, or pure and holy, by calling and profession. […] This unleavenedness of heart and life is put before each one at baptism, both in words and ceremonies, by the Church, […]

      1896, Cornelius à Lapide, chapter V, in W[illiam] F[rederick Geikie-]Cobb, transl., The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide. I. Corinthians, London: John Hodges, […], →OCLC, page 97

      Don't go back and live the way that you lived. If it comes back, starts to creep back, that's just like leaven growing in your life—get rid of it. Put in the unleavenedness of Christ. And that unleavenedness comes through the Spirit of God, as obedient children, see.

      2003, Fred R. Coulter, “The Redemption of the Firstborn”, in God’s Plan for Mankind Revealed by His Sabbath and Holy Days, Hollister, Calif.: York Publishing Company, →ISBN, section IV (The Feast of Unleavened Bread), page 240

      Throughout the night: we eat matzah (and more!), recalling the reality of our unleavenedness in Messiah; we pray, as the Master exhorted His disciples, so that we will not soon fall again into temptation; and we keep vigil, remaining physically and spiritually awake, in honor of the vigil that our Father once kept for us.

      2010, Kevin Geoffrey, Behold the Lamb: A Scripture-based, Modern, Messianic Pesach Memorial ’Avodah, Phoenix, Ariz.: Perfect Word, →ISBN, page 39

      Antonyms: leavenedness

Synonyms & antonyms

nounOf bread, etc.: the state of not being raised with a leaven or raising agent such as yeast.

Opposite

nounThe condition or quality of not being controlled or moderated by some characteristic, such as courtesy, tact, etc.; immoderation, unrestraint.

Opposite

nounThe condition or quality or being unaffected by sin; purity, sinlessness.

Opposite

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Germanic*un-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*un-
  5. Old Englishun-
  6. Middle Englishun-
  7. Englishun-
  8. Proto-Indo-European*h₁lengʷʰ-
  9. Proto-Indo-European*h₁léngʰus
  10. Proto-Italic*breɣʷisinflu.
  11. Proto-Italic*leɣʷis
  12. Latinlevis
  13. Latinlevō
  14. Vulgar Latin*levāmen
  15. Old Frenchlevain
  16. Middle Englishlevayn
  17. Englishleaven
  18. Englishleavened
  19. Englishunleavened
  20. Englishunleavenedness

From unleavened (“not being raised with a leaven or raising agent; (figurative) unaffected by something, unmoderated, unrelieved”) + -ness (suffix attached to adjectives forming abstract nouns with the sense ‘the quality or state of being [the adjective]’). Sense 1.2 (“condition or quality of being unaffected by something”) refers to a leaven such as yeast permeating through a dough and causing it to rise. Specifically, sense 1.2.2 (“condition or quality or being unaffected by sin”) refers to leaven being used in the Bible as a metaphor for sin affecting a person. See, for example, 1 Corinthians 5:6–8 (King James Version; spelling modernized): “[K]now ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness: but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish kohottamattomuus
  • kohottamattomuusof bread, etc.: the state of not being raised with a leaven or raising agent such as yeast
Polish przaśność
  • przaśnośćof bread, etc.: the state of not being raised with a leaven or raising agent such as yeast
Cite this entry
APA

unleavenedness. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unleavenedness

MLA

“unleavenedness.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unleavenedness. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unleavenedness,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unleavenedness.

Source: unleavenedness on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.