Misgotten

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Gained through illicit or wrongful actions that compromise integrity
2. Acquired through dishonest or unethical methods, lacking rightful legitimacy
3. Received by unfair or illegally unfair actions that undermine rightful ownership

Etymology: "Misgotten" is simply "mis-" attached to "gotten," the past participle of "get." The prefix "mis-" carries the sense of "wrongly" or "badly," so the compound means something acquired by the wrong means. Its ingredients are ordinary English, and the combination needs no borrowing from Latin or French to explain it. The more useful point is the grammar of the base. "Gotten" survives in American English as the normal participle of "get," while British English has largely dropped it in favour of "got," which is why "misgotten" can sound more American to some readers. Because it is built from a live participle rather than a classical root, the word reads as transparently as its meaning, and the prefix does the moral work: the thing was obtained, but by a faulty route.

Synonyms: ill-gotten, unlawful, dishonest

Antonyms: honest, legitimate, lawful