Unkempt: meaning, definitions and examples

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unkempt

 

[ ʌnˈkɛmpt ]

Context #1

appearance

Having an untidy or disheveled appearance.

Synonyms

disheveled, messy, rumpled, untidy

Examples of usage

  • His unkempt hair and wrinkled clothes made him look unprofessional.
  • The unkempt garden was overgrown with weeds and wildflowers.
Context #2

person

Not properly maintained or cared for.

Synonyms

neglected, ramshackle, run-down, shabby

Examples of usage

  • The unkempt guest room had not been cleaned in months.
  • She was known for her unkempt living conditions.

Translations

Translations of the word "unkempt" in other languages:

🇵🇹 desalinhado

🇮🇳 बेतरतीब

🇩🇪 ungepflegt

🇮🇩 tidak rapi

🇺🇦 неохайний

🇵🇱 zaniedbany

🇯🇵 だらしない

🇫🇷 négligé

🇪🇸 descuidado

🇹🇷 bakımsız

🇰🇷 단정하지 못한

🇸🇦 غير مهذب

🇨🇿 nepěstěný

🇸🇰 neupravený

🇨🇳 不整洁的

🇸🇮 neurejen

🇮🇸 óþrifalegur

🇰🇿 ұқыпсыз

🇬🇪 დაუვიწყებელი

🇦🇿 səliqəsiz

🇲🇽 descuidado

Word origin

The word 'unkempt' originated from the combination of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'kempt' which comes from Middle English 'kemben' meaning 'to comb'. Therefore, 'unkempt' originally meant 'not combed' or 'not neat'. Over time, the meaning evolved to refer to things or people that are untidy, disheveled, or not properly maintained.