different between irreverent vs ungodly

English

Etymology

ir- +? reverent

Adjective

irreverent (comparative more irreverent, superlative most irreverent)

1. Lacking respect; not having or not showing respect for or seriousness towards something that is usually treated with respect; going against conventional precepts.

   an irreverent new work

   an irreverent examination of reviewing

Synonyms

Translations

See also

• sarcastic

Further reading

• irreverent at OneLook Dictionary Search

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n???dli/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n???dli/
• Hyphenation: un?god?ly

Etymology 1

From Middle English ungodli [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“belonging to God; resembling God, godlike”). Godli is derived from Old English godl?? (“divine, godlike; godly”), from god (“god”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *??ew- (“to libate, pour”), in the sense of a liquid offering poured out for a deity) + -l?? (“suffix forming adjectives meaning ‘characteristic of, pertaining to’”). The English word may be analysed as un- +? godly, and is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelijc (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungötlich (modern German ungöttlich), Old Norse óguðligr (“ungodly”) (Danish ugudelig, Icelandic óguðlegur), Swedish ogudlig.

Adjective

ungodly (comparative more ungodly or ungodlier, superlative most ungodly or ungodliest)

1. Of a person: lacking reverence for God; of an action: not in accordance with God's will or religious teachings.

   Synonyms: impious, irreligious, irreverent

   Antonyms: godly, observant, pious, reverent
2. Immoral, sinful, or wicked.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:evil, Thesaurus:immoral

   Antonyms: see Thesaurus:virtuous
3. (informal) Extreme; unreasonable.

   Synonyms: dreadful, indecent, outrageous

Derived terms

• ungodlily
• ungodliness
• ungodly hour

Translations

Etymology 2

From Middle English ungodli (“cruelly, maliciously, wickedly; unfairly, unlawfully, wrongly; discourteously, rudely”) [and other forms], from un- (prefix meaning ‘not’), + godli (“excellently; pleasingly, splendidly; courteously, graciously; gladly, willingly; righteously; properly, rightly; at all, possibly; much”). Godli is probably derived from Old English g?dl??e (“goodly”), from g?d (“good”) (ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *g?ed?- (“to join, unite; to suit”)) + -l??e (suffix forming adverbs). The English word is cognate with Middle Dutch ongodelike, ongodlike (modern Dutch ongoddelijk), Middle High German ungöttlich, Swedish ogudelike, ogudlike (both obsolete), ogudligt.

Adverb

ungodly (comparative more ungodly, superlative most ungodly)

1. (obsolete) In an impious, irreverent, or ungodly manner; ungodlily. [16th–17th c.]

References