Standard Lemma guide

unjust

adj · 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʌnˈd͡ʒʌst/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ʌst
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N JH AH1 S T Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Not fair, just or right.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • The solution was very unjust.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective

Meaning 2

not fair; marked by injustice or partiality or deception

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • used unfair methods
  • it was an unfair trial
  • took an unfair advantage

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unfair

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

not equitable or fair

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the inequitable division of wealth
  • inequitable taxation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inequitable

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective

Meaning 4

violating principles of justice

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • unjust punishment
  • an unjust judge
  • an unjust accusation

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: just

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- Proto-Indo-European *h2ey- Proto-Indo-European *-u Proto-Indo-European *h2óyu Proto-Indo-European *h2yew- Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *h2yéwos Proto-Italic *jowos Old Latin *iowos, *iowez- Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Old Latin -tus Old Latin iovestos Latin iūstus Old French justebor. Middle English juste English just English unjust From un- + just.

Across languages

Translations

48 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: ظَالِم (ẓālim) — not fair, just or right
  • Arabic: جَائِر (jāʔir) — not fair, just or right
  • Armenian: անարդար (anardar) — not fair, just or right
  • Aromanian: nidreptu — not fair, just or right
  • Asturian: inxustu — not fair, just or right
  • Bulgarian: несправедлив (nespravedliv) — not fair, just or right
  • Catalan: injust — not fair, just or right
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不公平的 (bù gōngpíng de) — not fair, just or right
  • Chinese Mandarin: 不公正的 (bù gōngzhèng de) — not fair, just or right
  • Chinese Mandarin: 非正義的 /非正义的 (fēi zhèngyì de) — not fair, just or right
  • Czech: nespravedlivý — not fair, just or right
  • Dutch: onrechtvaardig — not fair, just or right
  • Finnish: epäoikeudenmukainen — not fair, just or right
  • French: injuste — not fair, just or right
  • Galician: inxusto — not fair, just or right
  • Georgian: უსამართლო (usamartlo) — not fair, just or right
  • German: ungerecht — not fair, just or right
  • Ancient Greek: ἄδικος (ádikos) — not fair, just or right
  • Hungarian: nem tisztességes — not fair, just or right
  • Hungarian: igazságtalan — not fair, just or right
  • Icelandic: ranglátur — not fair, just or right
  • Irish: ainfhíréanta — not fair, just or right
  • Irish: aincheart — not fair, just or right
  • Irish: neamhchóir — not fair, just or right
  • Irish: éagórach — not fair, just or right
  • Irish: éigeart — not fair, just or right
  • Irish: neamhfhíréanta — not fair, just or right
  • Italian: ingiusto — not fair, just or right
  • Japanese: 不正な (fusei na) — not fair, just or right
  • Korean: 옳지 않은 (olchi aneun) — not fair, just or right
  • Latin: iniūrus — not fair, just or right
  • Macedonian: неправеден (nepraveden) — not fair, just or right
  • Old English: unrihtwīs — not fair, just or right
  • Persian: غیر عادلانه — not fair, just or right
  • Persian: غیر منصفانه — not fair, just or right
  • Persian: نامردی (nâmardi) — not fair, just or right
  • Plautdietsch: onjerajcht — not fair, just or right
  • Polish: niesprawiedliwy — not fair, just or right
  • Portuguese: injusto — not fair, just or right
  • Romanian: nedrept — not fair, just or right
  • Romanian: injust — not fair, just or right
  • Russian: несправедли́вый (nespravedlívyj) — not fair, just or right
  • Spanish: injusto — not fair, just or right
  • Swedish: orättvis — not fair, just or right
  • Swedish: vrång — not fair, just or right
  • Turkish: adaletsiz — not fair, just or right
  • Ottoman Turkish: عدالتسز (ʼadaletsiz) — not fair, just or right
  • Woiwurrung: wy-koorong koogajek — not fair, just or right