Unrihtfull

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Not in accordance with what is just, fair, or lawful, as in a claim or possession held against moral right
2. Describing something done or held in violation of justice or rightful entitlement, which is wrongful in nature
3. Lacking legitimate right or fairness, so that an action, claim, or holding is morally or legally unjustified

Etymology: Old English "riht" meant straight, correct, or just, and it is the root of the modern "right" in all its senses. Adding the suffix "-ful" gave "rihtful," meaning righteous or entitled to something, and the prefix "un-" reversed it to mean unjust or wrongful. The same root sits behind the Latin "rectus," meaning straight or upright, which is a sign of how old the idea of moral straightness is in the Indo-European languages. The compound is plainly built from parts: a native English prefix, a root, and a suffix. The form "unrightful" survives mostly in older writing and is now largely replaced by "unjust" or "wrongful," though it still turns up in legal and literary contexts.