iniquity

Iniquity is a noun describing morally wrong or unjust conduct, especially when it is deliberate, persistent, or deeply rooted. In everyday usage it can refer to any grievous wrongdoing, but in religious and philosophical contexts the term often carries connotations of perversity, crookedness, and rebellion against moral law. The word is commonly encountered in religious literature and historical moral discourse.

Etymology: From Latin iniquitas “unfairness, crookedness,” from iniquus “uneven, crooked.” It entered English via Old French iniquité, then Middle English iniquite. The sense emphasizes distortion or deviation from a right path, rather than an isolated slip.

Religious usage: In the Hebrew Bible, the word typically rendered as “iniquity” (often avon) denotes guilt associated with persistent sin or crooked behavior; it may refer to an individual, a community, or nations. In Christian Scripture, translations such as the King James Version render certain Greek terms as “iniquity” to express lawlessness or deep moral rebellion, as distinct from a single fault or transgression. Iniquity may thus imply both conscious wrongdoing and structural injustice.

Modern usage: The term remains common in devotional, theological, and literary contexts, often signaling profound moral corruption or systemic injustice rather than limited error. It can also appear in secular discussions as a rhetorically strong word for wrongdoing or moral rot.