urettmessige

Urettmessige is the plural form of the Norwegian adjective urettmessig, which means unjust, illegal, or improper. The word is used to describe actions, decisions, or conditions that violate fairness, law, or ethical norms. It can apply to a wide range of contexts, from everyday judgments to formal analyses.

Etymology and sense: urettmessig is built from urett, meaning injustice or unfairness, and the suffix -messig, which conveys a sense of being characterized by something. The term thus denotes something that is marked by injustice or illegitimacy. In legal or policy discussions, urettmessig emphasizes moral or normative wrongdoing, though more precise terms like ulovlig (illegal) or urimelig (unreasonable) may be preferred for specific technical distinctions.

Usage and examples: The form urettmessige is used before plural nouns, for example urettmessige forhold (unjust conditions), urettmessige avgjørelser (unjust decisions), or urettmessige fordeler (unjust advantages). In the singular, the form is urettmessig, as in en urettmessig avgjørelse. The adverbial use is generally urettmessig (e.g., handlingen var urettmessig).

Relation to related terms: Urettmessige is contrasted with rettmessige, rettferdige, and lovlige terms that denote fairness or legality. While urettmessig highlights injustice, rettmessig emphasizes rightful, legitimate, or legally valid actions.

See also: rettmessig, rettferdig, ulovlig, uriktig.