adj
unclean
uhn-KLEEN
adj
1
Dirty or covered in filth.
"The water from the well was unclean and unsafe to drink."
2
Considered impure in a religious or ceremonial sense.
"Certain foods are described as unclean in the text."
How to Use Unclean
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishNot clean — either physically dirty or, in a religious context, ritually impure.
Common pairings
unclean water
ritually unclean
Word Forms
uncleaner comparative, uncleanest superlative
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The water from the well was _____ and unsafe to drink.
Etymology
From Old English unclǣne, from un- + clean.