Reprovable

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Deserving of criticism or disapproval; worthy of being rebuked or condemned for wrongdoing
2. Capable of eliciting disapproval or condemnation due to perceived faults or misdeeds
3. Worthy of reproach for actions or behaviors that are ethically or morally questionable

Etymology: "Reprovable" is formed from "reprove" plus the suffix "-able", meaning "capable of being" or "deserving to be" something. "Reprove" itself comes from Old French "reprouver", which traces back through Latin "reprobare" ("to disapprove, reject"), built from "re-" ("back, again") and "probare" ("to test, approve"). So the word's core idea is one of testing something and finding it wanting, and "reprovable" describes conduct that deserves that kind of rejection. The adjective shows the same pattern as many other English words built on "-able", such as "blameable" or "deplorable". Its closest relative in French, "réprouvable", suggests the two languages formed the term independently from the same parent material, though English took the suffix from Latin rather than borrowing the whole word from French.

Synonyms: blameworthy, censurable, disgraceful, faulty, wrong

Antonyms: praiseworthy, commendable, laudable, meritorious, acceptable