Injustamente

Injustamente is an adverb used in Spanish and Portuguese to indicate that an action or judgment is unfair or not morally justified. It modifies verbs or clauses and emphasizes lack of justice in how someone is treated, accused, or penalized. For example, one can say “fueron castigados injustamente” (Spanish) or “ele foi injustamente acusado” (Portuguese).

Etymology and form: the word derives from the adjective injusto (unjust) plus the adverbial suffix -mente, common to both languages. In origin, injusto comes from Latin iustus, meaning just or lawful, with the negating prefix in- creating the sense of “not just.” The adverb injustamente thus conveys the manner of unfairness rather than the noun itself.

Usage and nuance: injustamente generally describes treatment, judgments, or penalties that violate fairness or rights. It is commonly used in legal, media, and everyday discourse to express moral or ethical critique rather than mere factual error. Typical collocations include tratar injustamente, ser tratado injustamente, and actuar injustamente. While it can be used in neutral reporting, it often carries a subjective or normative tone, signaling that the speaker believes a greater degree of fairness should have prevailed.

Related terms: noun injusticia (injustice), adjective injusto (unjust). Synonyms or near-synonyms in context can include deslealmente or de forma injusta, though each has slight nuances. See also iustitia (Latin for justice) as a linguistic root.