ehrlose

Ehrlose is a German adjective meaning without honor or dishonorable. It is used to describe actions, conduct, or persons regarded as lacking moral or social integrity. In modern German it conveys a strong negative judgment and is more common in literary or rhetorical contexts than in neutral everyday speech.

Etymology and forms: The word is built from the stem ehr- (honor) and the suffix -los (without). The base form is ehrlos. When declined and placed before a noun, it appears as ehrlos in the masculine singular with an indefinite article (ein ehrloser Mann) and as ehrlich with the appropriate endings for other genders and cases (die ehrlose Frau, das ehrlose Verhalten, eine ehrlose Tat). The feminine nominative/accusative singular form is ehrlose, and the plural form takes corresponding endings (ehrlose Menschen, die ehrlosen Täter). The related noun Ehrlosigkeit refers to the state or quality of being dishonorable.

Usage and nuance: Ehrlose is typically used to condemn behavior that violates accepted codes of honor. It can carry legal, ethical, or social implications, and is more common in historical, religious, or literary texts than in formal contemporary discourse. In many contexts it functions as a strong moral judgment rather than a neutral descriptor, and care should be taken when applying it to individuals or groups.

See also: honor, Ehre, dishonor, unredlich, unehrenhaft.