undignifiedadj.
/(ˌ)ʌnˈdɪɡnᵻfʌɪd/, U.S. /ˌənˈdɪɡnəˌfaɪd/ 1. Of clergy: Not holding a position of dignity; not ranking as a dignitary. ? Obsolete.
ΚΠ
1689 Apol. Failures G. Walker's Acct. Siege of Derry 24 All this by the Service..attributed to one of their undignify'd Clergy.
1776 J. Entick Hist. London I. 95 A great number of the undignified clergy.
1833 A. Alison Hist. Europe during French Revol. I. iii. 125 The great body of the undignified ecclesiastics.
2. Not dignified by or with something; undistinguished.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > obscurity or ingloriousness > [adjective]
namelessc1330
ungloriousa1382
unfamousc1384
unglorifieda1395
unrenowned1525
gloryless1540
obscurec1540
incelebrateda1552
honourlessa1560
unnoted1566
eclipsed1587
irrenowned1590
inglorious1591
ungraced1595
unreputed1596
reputeless1598
unreckoned1599
undistinguished1600
unfamed1609
without name1611
unremarkable1628
uncried up1631
undignified1716
unapplauded1739
uncelebrated1740
renownless1821
bannerlessc1850
untrumpeted1859
anonymous1860
reportlessc1865
unillustrious1885
obscured1891
statusless1899
unarrived1902
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > obscurity or ingloriousness > [adjective] > without glory of or undignified by
undignified1716
inglorious1788
1716 A. Pope Further Acct. E. Curll 5 An undignify'd Scribler of a Sheet and half.
1744 J. Campbell Harris's Navigantium (rev. ed.) I. Ded. sig. a I have also chosen the greatest..Body of Men undignified with Titles.
1781 S. Johnson Prior in Pref. Wks. Eng. Poets VI. 14 Through the reigns of William and Anne no prosperous event passed undignified by poetry.
a1821 V. Knox Liberal Educ. App., in Wks. (1824) IV. 263 Men who have acquired their excellence..uninstructed by the tuition, unbenefited by the foundations, and undignified by the graduation of Oxford and Cambridge.
3. Lacking in dignity of manner, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > ignobleness or baseness > [adjective]
theowlikec1175
low?c1225
undignec1315
unfreec1330
base?1518
roynish1570
baseborn1573
base-minded1573
haskardly1576
ignoble1592
unnoble1593
slavish1597
disnoble1609
infimous1613
unhandsome1645
unheroical1656
mean1665
unworthy1694
unheroic1732
raff1761
undignified1782
raffish1795
truculent1825
unpromotable1836
menial1837
low-flung1841
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > unseemliness or unbecomingness > [adjective] > undignified
meanc1450
undignified1782
1782 V. Knox Ess. (1819) I. iii. 18 The undignified vivacity of nations which have been taught by their philosophy to degrade human nature.
1836 H. Smith Tin Trumpet I. 14 Deep and genuine emotion..is never undignified, never ungraceful.
1880 J. McCarthy Hist. our Own Times III. xli. 233 He sometimes ran the risk of seeming undignified.
Derivatives
unˈdignifiedly adv.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > contempt > ignobleness or baseness > [adverb]
undignelyc1315
poorlyc1390
vilea1400
ignobly1594
unnobly1595
meanly1602
meana1626
unhandsomely1650
projectedly1660
unheroically1783
undignifiedly1856
raffishly1897
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > unseemliness or unbecomingness > [adverb] > undignifiedly
undignifiedly1856
1856 F. W. Faber Creator & Creature (1858) i. ii. 70 Facts which seem so undignifiedly familiar.
1859 F. Francis Newton Dogvane xxx Sneaking,..undignifiedly, out of the gate.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1921; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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adj.1689