Untrue

How to spell untrue

6 letters · 2 syllables

How to pronounce untrue

Say the part in capitals loudest.

What does untrue mean?

1. adjectiveNot in accordance with the facts; false or incorrect.
2. adjectiveNot faithful or loyal, especially to a partner, friend, or cause.

Untrue in a sentence

• The rumour about the factory closing turned out to be completely untrue.

• She felt he had been untrue to her throughout their marriage.

• He insisted the figures in the report were untrue and demanded a correction.

• A soldier who proves untrue to his comrades loses all respect.

Where does untrue come from?

Language of origin: Germanic

This word is a straightforward compound built from the native English prefix un-, meaning 'not', and the adjective 'true'. 'True' descends from the Old English trēowe, which meant 'faithful, trustworthy, steadfast', and is closely related to 'trust' and 'truce'; only later did its main sense narrow towards 'in accordance with fact'. The prefix un- is one of the oldest and most productive negating elements in Germanic languages, attached freely to adjectives to flip their meaning. So 'untrue' literally reads as 'not faithful' or 'not in accordance with fact', and both shades survive today: a statement can be untrue (false) and a partner can be untrue (disloyal). Because the word is simply un- bolted onto true, the spelling keeps the full 'true' intact, which is the main thing to remember: there is no dropped letter where the prefix meets the root.

How the word is built

• un- (not)
• true (faithful, accurate, from Old English trēowe)