undeserving

English

Etymology

From un- +‎ deserving.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˌʌndɪˈzɝvɪŋ/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)vɪŋ

Adjective

undeserving (comparative more undeserving, superlative most undeserving)

1. Considered unworthy of reward.

   Antonym: deserving

   the undeserving poor

   • 1912 (date written), [George] Bernard Shaw, “Pygmalion”, in Androcles and the Lion, Overruled, Pygmalion, London: Constable and Company, published 1916, →OCLC, Act II, page 138:

     I'm one of the undeserving poor: thats what I am. […] If theres anything going, and I put in for a bit of it, it's always the same story: "You're undeserving; so you cant have it." But my needs is as great as the most deserving widow's that ever got money out of six different charities in one week for the death of the same husband. I dont need less than a deserving man: I need more.

Derived terms

• undeserving poor

 

Translations

considered unworthy of reward

• Bulgarian: незаслужаващ (nezaslužavašt), недостоен (bg) (nedostoen)
• Dutch: onverdienstelijk (nl)
• German: unwürdig (de)
• Latin: immerens, indignus
• Portuguese: desmerecedor, indigno (pt)
• Spanish: inmerecido (es)