Unjust

How to spell unjust

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce unjust

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does unjust mean?

1. adjectiveNot fair or reasonable; not based on what is right.

Unjust in a sentence

• The workers protested against the unjust pay cut.

• Many people felt the verdict was deeply unjust.

Where does unjust come from?

Language of origin: Latin

The word combines the native English negative prefix un-, meaning 'not', with 'just', which entered English in the 1300s from Old French 'juste' and ultimately from the Latin 'iustus', meaning 'lawful' or 'rightful'. That Latin adjective was built on 'ius', the word for law or right, which also lies behind 'justice', 'judge', and 'jurisdiction'. By the late 1300s English writers had attached the everyday un- prefix to form 'unjust', describing anything that fails the test of fairness or law. The spelling is refreshingly transparent, since both parts survive unchanged from their separate origins, and the only mild trap is hearing the 's' and 't' clearly enough not to drop them.

How the word is built

• un- (not)
• just (fair, lawful)