righteous
/ˈɹaɪt͡ʃəs/ adjective, verb
Forms righteouses righteousing righteoused rightuous rightwise
- adjective Free from sin or guilt.
- adjective Moral and virtuous, perhaps to the point of sanctimony. “Human beings should take a righteous path, and so should art. We should promote kindness and beauty through art.”
- adjective Justified morally.
- adjective (slang, US) Awesome; great.
- adjective (slang, US) Major; large; significant.
- verb To make righteous; specifically, to justify religiously, to absolve from sin.
Synonyms
guiltless sinless blameless clean clean-handed clean as a hound's tooth clean as a whistle clear dovelike innocent innocent as the babe unborn innocent as the child unborn irreprehensible nonblameworthy not guilty offenseless pure sackless unblameable unblameworthy
Antonyms
Etymology
From earlier rightuous, rightwose, rightwos, rightwise, from Middle English rightwise, rightwis, from Old English rihtwīs (“righteous, just”), corresponding to right + -wise (with assimilation of second element to -ous), or to right + wise (“way, manner”). Cognate with Scots richtwis (“righteous”), Old High German rehtwīsic (“righteous, just”), Icelandic réttvíss (“righteous, just”). Compare also thefteous, mighteous.
Webster’s 1913
- adjective Doing, or according with, that which is right; yielding to all their due; just; equitable; especially, free from wrong, guilt, or sin; holy; as, a righteous man or act; a righteous retribution.
Etymology [OE. rightways, rightwise, AS.rightwis; riht right + wis wise, having wisdom, prudent. See Right, a., Wise, a.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “righteous”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details