Unhonored

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not given the recognition or respect deserved ; not accepted or paid when presented for payment
2. Lacking the acknowledgment or honor that should be accorded ; refused or not honored when formally presented or claimed
3. Not receiving due respect or recognition ; not accepted or satisfied when formally demanded or offered

Etymology: "Unhonored" is simply the English prefix "un-", meaning "not," attached to "honored," the American spelling of "honoured." The prefix has been productive in English for centuries, so a word like this is a plain compound rather than a borrowing from another language. The base word "honor" comes from Latin "honor," which carried the sense of respect, dignity and esteem that a person earned in public life. English took it in through Old French, and the spelling "honour" in British usage keeps a trace of that French route. Adding "un-" reverses the idea: someone or something that receives no such respect is "unhonored." The pattern is easy to see in its neighbours. "Unloved," "unnamed" and "unrewarded" all follow the same formula, attaching "un-" to a past-participle form to describe a state of not having had the action done to it. "Unhonored" is one of many such formations that English speakers can build on the spot.

Synonyms: disgraced, shamed, dishonored

Antonyms: honored, respected, revered