Standard Lemma guide

impiety

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • rhymes with -aɪɪti

1

noun

Meaning 1

The state of being impious.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

An impious act.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

The lack of respect for a god or something sacred.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

unrighteousness by virtue of lacking respect for a god

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: impiousness

Antonyms: piety

Broader terms: unrighteousness

Narrower terms: undutifulness, irreligiousness, irreligion, ungodliness, godlessness

History

Etymology

From Old French impieté, from Latin impietas, from in- (“not”) + pietas (“piety”), from pius (“pious, devout”) + -tās (“-ty, -dom”). By surface analysis, impious + -ety.

Across languages

Translations

21 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: неблагочестивост (neblagočestivost) — the state of being impious
  • French: impiété — the state of being impious
  • German: Pietätlosigkeit — the state of being impious
  • Greek: ανοσιότητα (anosiótita) — the state of being impious
  • Irish: aindiagacht — the state of being impious
  • Irish: éagráifeacht — the state of being impious
  • Lithuanian: bedieviškumas — the state of being impious
  • Spanish: impiedad — the state of being impious
  • Swedish: ogudaktighet — the state of being impious
  • German: Pietätlosigkeit — an impious act
  • Greek: ανοσιότητα (anosiótita) — an impious act
  • Ancient Greek: ἀσέβημα (asébēma) — an impious act
  • Spanish: impiedad — an impious act
  • Bulgarian: безбожие (bezbožie) — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Irish: aindiagacht — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Irish: éagráifeacht — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Russian: нечестивость (nečestivostʹ) — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Russian: непочтительность (nepočtitelʹnostʹ) — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Spanish: impiedad — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Swedish: hänsynslöshet — lack of respect for a god or something sacred
  • Swedish: obarmhärtighet — lack of respect for a god or something sacred