English Explanatory Dictionary

unkempt

English dictionary entry

Meanings

adj
  1. Of hair, uncombed, dishevelled.
  2. Disorderly; untidy; messy; not kept up.
  3. Rough; unpolished.

Pronunciation

/ˌʌnˈkɛmpt/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-unkempt.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Naomi Persephone Amethyst (NaomiAmethyst)-unkempt.wav

Word forms

unkempt more unkempt most unkempt uncompt

Etymology

From earlier unkembed, unkemmed, from Middle English unkempt (“uncombed”), equivalent to un- + kempt. Compare Old Norse úkembdr (uncombed; unkempt"; > Icelandic ókembdur), German ungekämmt (“unkempt”), Dutch ongekamd. More at kemb.

Synonyms

bedraggled blowsy dishevelled dowdy dowdyish down at heel downgone qualifier draggle-tailed draggled frowsy frumpy grotty grufty grungy hashy mangy mean out at the heels piggy ragtag ribby schleppy schlumpy scratty scrofulous scroungy scruffy scrungy seedy shabby slammocky slatternly slobbish slobby sloppy slovenlike slovenly slummocky sluttish tacky tore up trampish unfine unkemmed unkempt unshaven ragged

Antonyms

clean foppish neat orderly stylish tidy

Related words

nitty untidy person ramshackle unfashionable

Derived words

unkemptitude
This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.
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