Unfaithful
/ʌnˈfeɪθfəl/
Definitions
Not loyal or true; breaking a promise or commitment, especially in a romantic or marital relationship.
/ʌnˈfeɪθfəl/
Not remaining loyal or true to a commitment, belief, or relationship.
She felt betrayed when she discovered her husband had been unfaithful.
💡 Simply: Imagine you promised your best friend you'd always keep their secrets, but then you told someone else. That would be an 'unfaithful' act because you broke your promise and weren't loyal.
👶 For kids: It means not being a good friend, not keeping a promise, or not being true to someone.
More Examples
The dog remained faithful while his owner was unfaithful to his diet.
How It's Used
"He was unfaithful to his wife."
"The congregation felt the priest was unfaithful to his vows."
"The company was accused of being unfaithful to its contract."
Idioms & expressions
unfaithful to one's word
To break a promise or commitment.
"He was unfaithful to his word and didn't show up."
From Old English *unfǣþful*, a compound of *un-* (not) + *fǣþ* (faith) + *-ful* (full of). The word evolved through the development of the concept of trust and loyalty.
The term has appeared in literature across many centuries, often in religious texts and love stories, with a consistent meaning related to breaking trust or being untrue to a commitment.
Memory tip
Think of a broken faith. The 'un-' prefix indicates a negation of the 'faithful' state.
Word Origin
"not + faithful"