Reprobate

Reprobate is an adjective meaning morally unprincipled, shameless, or condemned as unacceptable. It derives from Latin reprobare "to disapprove, condemn." The English form comes from early modern usage.

The noun form "reprobate" refers to a person who is morally depraved or who has been rejected or condemned—often by God in religious contexts, but also used more broadly to denote a person considered untrustworthy or beyond hope of reform.

In theology, reprobation is the concept of divine rejection or condemnation. In Christian theology, the term is used to describe those whom God has rejected or given over to negative consequences as part of the fallen world; often juxtaposed with "elect." The phrase "reprobate mind" appears in Romans 1:28, indicating a state in which conscience and discernment are said to be corrupted.

In secular usage, "reprobate" is an archaic or literary term describing someone morally corrupt or disreputable, sometimes used humorously or harshly. The word can function as an insult or as a descriptor in character sketches, historical texts, or period fiction.

Related terms include reprobation (the act or state of condemnation) and probation (a related but distinct concept of testing or proving worth). The word has largely fallen from everyday use outside literary or theological contexts, but remains encountered in theological discussions, older literature, and some legal or rhetorical writings.