unwürdig

Unwürdig is a German adjective meaning not worthy or lacking dignity. It is used to describe people, actions, or situations that do not meet a standard of worthiness, propriety, or respect. In English, it is commonly translated as “unworthy” or “undignified,” depending on the context.

Etymology and form: The term is formed with the prefix un- attached to würdig (worthy). The concept is tied to the broader German word Würde (dignity). As an attributive or predicative adjective, unwürdig inflects according to gender, number, and case, for example: eine unwürdige Behandlung, unwürdiges Verhalten, er ist unwürdig.

Usage and nuance: Unwürdig is often used in formal, moral, or rhetorical contexts and can carry a strong evaluative charge. It is common in discussions of conduct, motives, or status that are deemed inappropriate or degrading. Examples include phrases such as eine unwürdige Behandlung (an undignified treatment), unwürdiges Verhalten (undignified behavior), or jemand wirkt unwürdig (someone appears unworthy). In everyday language, softer synonyms like unangemessen (inappropriate) or unpassend (incongruous) may be preferred, depending on the desired tone.

Relation to related terms: Würdig means worthy or worthy of respect, while würdelos describes a lack of dignity more generally. Unwürdig, as a negation of würdig, occupies a formal, normative niche and is often found in literary, legal, or religious discourse.

See also: Würde (dignity), würdig (worthy), würdelos (devoid of dignity), unpassend (inappropriate).