unloyal
|un/loy/al|
B2
/ʌnˈlɔɪəl/
lacking loyalty
Etymology
Etymology Information
'unloyal' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'loyal', which comes from Old French 'loial', meaning 'faithful'.
Historical Evolution
'loial' transformed into the Middle English word 'loial', and eventually became the modern English word 'loyal'. The prefix 'un-' was added to form 'unloyal'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, 'loyal' meant 'faithful', and 'unloyal' has consistently meant 'not faithful' or 'lacking loyalty'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not loyal; lacking loyalty or faithfulness.
He was unloyal to his friends, often betraying their trust.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/01/18 23:27