Dictionary

righteous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹaɪt͡ʃəs/
• /ˈɹaɪtjəs/ (obsolete)
• (US) audio
• /ˈɹaɪti.əs/ (obsolete)

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.

Meanings

1. Free from sin or guilt.
   • The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bolde as a lyon. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Proverbs 28:1:
2. 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.
3. Justified morally.
   • righteous indignation
4. (US, slang) Awesome; great.
   • The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wastoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude. 1986, John Hughes, Ferris Bueller's Day Off (Motion Picture), spoken by Grace Wheelberg (Edie McClurg):
   • He sold me a bulging paper sack full of Cambodian Red for two dolla' MPC. A strange experience, copping from a kid, but it was righteous weed. 1995, Norman L. Russell, Doug Grad, Suicide Charlie: A Vietnam War Story, page 191:
   • Tonight the kids will go out and party down in a more righteous mode. Alcohol and not a few tabs of X will be ingested. Club music will throb through big speakers. 2008, Stephen King, Graduation Afternoon:
5. (US, slang) Major; large; significant.
   • He found Richard in one piece near a large circular container, thankfully, staring at a righteous mess of blood and gore. 2021, G. S. Jennsen, Amaranthe V: Riven:

Forms

Deriveds

self-righteous · righteousness · unrighteous · Righteous Among the Nations · righteously · overrighteous · uprighteous

Relateds

lefteous

Synonyms

lit · sinless · guiltless · glorious · dope · wonderful · beatific · terrific · outstanding · blissful · honest · hellagood · right-minded · unblameable · sackless · deserving · guiltless · enchanting · upstanding · based · innocent · gnarly · noble · good · marvellous · unbelievable · blameless · uncalculating · wondrous · virtual · mythic · great · mystifying · sinless · whole-souled · sensational · moral · majestic · wicked · nonblameworthy · fire · celestial · wicked · delightful · modest · excellent · bewildering · extraordinary · innocent · clean-handed · incredible · desertful · pure · straight · awesomesauce · right · unblameworthy · decorous · meritorious · duteous · clear · selcouth · decorous · cool · innocent as the child unborn · worthy · impressive · amazing · dutiful · heavenlike · major · astounding · divine · virtuous · surpassing · far out · stupendous · considerable · inspiring · sublime · unguilty · goshwow · righteous · dovelike · not guilty · righteous · clean as a whistle · phenomenal · irreprehensible · uprighteous · powerful · rad · well-intentioned · innocent as the babe unborn · righteous · lit · awful · decent · magnificent · offenseless · clean · tight · unreal · delicate · splendent · heavenly · clean as a hound's tooth · goated · grandiose · correct · continent · groovy · awe-inspiring · awesome · neat · grand · stupefying · chaste · dope

Translations (96)

ar صَالِح (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · fr juste (free from sin or guilt) · pt inocente (free from sin or guilt) · it giustificato (justified morally) · dsb chytšy (free from sin or guilt) · hu tisztességes (free from sin or guilt) · it intemerato (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · es santo (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · pal ahlaw (free from sin or guilt) · ru доброде́тельный (free from sin or guilt) · egy U2:mAa-a:t-y:Y1 (free from sin or guilt) · he צדיק (free from sin or guilt) · nl rechtvaardig (justified morally) · de tugendhaft (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · de rechtschaffen (free from sin or guilt) · hu jogos (justified morally) · got 𐌲𐌰𐍂𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍄𐍃 (free from sin or guilt) · gl recto (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · fi vanhurskas (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · sv rättfärdig (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · hu erkölcsös (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · kmr bêguneh (free from sin or guilt) · ru опра́вданный (justified morally) · ru пра́ведный (free from sin or guilt) · hu érthető (justified morally) · cs počestný (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · ro neprihănită (free from sin or guilt) · es justo (justified morally) · fr moral (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · nl deugdzaam (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · ar صَالِح (free from sin or guilt) · grc δίκαιος (free from sin or guilt) · mi tapatahi (free from sin or guilt) · de redlich (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · de gerechtfertigt (justified morally) · es correcto (justified morally) · hu derék (free from sin or guilt) · de gerecht (justified morally) · mk пра́веден (free from sin or guilt) · es inmaculado (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · ar صَالِح (justified morally) · sv rättfärdig (justified morally) · cs ctnostný (free from sin or guilt) · uk доброчесний (free from sin or guilt) · ru благочести́вый (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · nb rettvis (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · he צדיקה (free from sin or guilt) · uk доброчесний (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · de rechtschaffen (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · es inocente (free from sin or guilt) · es recto (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · de tugendsam (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · ru доброде́тельный (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · es justificado (justified morally) · es inmaculado (free from sin or guilt) · ru справедли́вый (justified morally) · nl rechtschapen (free from sin or guilt) · sv rättfärdig (free from sin or guilt) · hu indokolt (justified morally) · ru пра́ведный (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · nb rettferdig (justified morally) · hu erényes (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · mk доброде́телен (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · bg добродетелен (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · pt justo (justified morally) · mi tapatahi (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · fr juste (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · hu becsületes (free from sin or guilt) · uk справедливий (justified morally) · bg праведен (free from sin or guilt) · fa درستکار (free from sin or guilt) · it legittimo (justified morally) · gez ጻድቅ (free from sin or guilt) · it immacolato (free from sin or guilt) · pt digno (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · nb rettferdig (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · sv rättskaffens (free from sin or guilt) · cs spravedlivý (justified morally) · es honrado (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · uk праведний (free from sin or guilt) · fi oikeamielinen (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · nl onschuldig (free from sin or guilt) · ro neprihănit (free from sin or guilt) · hu igaz (free from sin or guilt) · fi oikeutettu (justified morally) · es bienhechor (justified morally) · mk спра́ведлив (justified morally) · hu jóravaló (free from sin or guilt) · fi synnitön (free from sin or guilt) · kmr heq (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · cs nevinný (free from sin or guilt) · uk праведний (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · it virtuoso (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious) · bg справедлив (justified morally) · he צדיק (free from sin or guilt) · es beato (moral and virtuous, to the point of sanctimonious)

righteous en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈɹaɪt͡ʃəs/
• /ˈɹaɪtjəs/ (obsolete)
• (US) audio
• /ˈɹaɪti.əs/ (obsolete)

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.

Meanings

1. To make righteous; specifically, to justify religiously, to absolve from sin.
   • Thus for the purposes of being ‘righteoused’, the Law was irrelevant; yet Paul could not bear to see all the Law disappear. 2009, Diarmaid MacCulloch, A History of Christianity, Penguin, published 2010, page 101:

Forms