English Meaning & Definitions
Not neat or well arranged; disordered, disorganized, or messy.
- “His desk was covered in an untidy pile of papers and books.”
- “She tied her untidy hair back into a quick ponytail before answering the door.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “untidy”.
From the negative prefix 'un-' + 'tidy', where 'tidy' originally meant 'timely, prompt, or neat' (from Middle English 'tidi', derived from 'tide' meaning time or season). Over time, the meaning shifted from timely to orderly, and 'untidy' came to mean lacking neatness or organization.
Think of someone who is UNable to TIDY up their messy room.
Frequently Asked Questions About “untidy”
1. What is the meaning of “untidy” in English?
In English, untidy (adjective) is defined as: “Not neat or well arranged; disordered, disorganized, or messy.”.
2. How do you use “untidy” in a sentence?
“His desk was covered in an untidy pile of papers and books.”
3. What are English synonyms of “untidy”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “untidy”?
From the negative prefix 'un-' + 'tidy', where 'tidy' originally meant 'timely, prompt, or neat' (from Middle English 'tidi', derived from 'tide' meaning time or season). Over time, the meaning shifted from timely to orderly, and 'untidy' came to mean lacking neatness or organization.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.