Word of the Day

: October 28, 2006

unregenerate

adjective un-rih-JEN-uh-rut

What It Means

1 : not spiritually reborn or converted

2 a : not reformed : unreconstructed

b : obstinate, stubborn

unregenerate in Context

Despite pleadings from his friends, Shane remained unregenerate about his decision.

Did You Know?

There was a time when the adjective "regenerate" had more to do with being spiritually reborn than with being physically re-created; in the 16th century, "regenerate" was used of someone spiritually reborn. By the late 1500s, English speakers had added "un-" to "regenerate" to describe someone who refused to accept spiritual reformation. Since then, "unregenerate" has taken on a life of its own, gaining the extended specific meanings of "unconverted to a particular doctrinaire viewpoint," "persisting in a reactionary stand," or just plain "stubborn." Both "regenerate" and "unregenerate" trace back to the Latin "genus," meaning "birth" or "descent."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.