Definition of untruth

untruthnoun

không trung thực

/ˌʌnˈtruːθ//ˌʌnˈtruːθ/

The word "untruth" is a compound word derived from two ancient Anglo-Saxon words: "un-" meaning "not," and "treowe" meaning "faithful" or "true." When these two prefixes and roots are combined, we get the word "untruth," which literally translates to "not faithful" or "not true." Originally, in Old English, the word for "untruth" was "ungean," which was formed by combining "ung-" (meaning "not") with "gēan" (meaning "to go" or "to become"). This word gave rise to the Middle English "untruthe," which eventually evolved into the modern English word we use today, "untruth." The word "untruth" is contrasted with its opposite, "truth," which is derived from the Old English words "triwth" (meaning "true," "faithful," or "loyal") and "triew" (meaning "tree"). These words eventually became "truth" and "trewe," respectively, in Middle English. Overall, the evolution of these words illustrates the historical development of the English language and highlights the importance of understanding the etymology of words in order to gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of their meanings.

Summary
type danh từ
meaningđiều nói láo, điều nói dối, điều nói sai
meaningđiều gi dối, chuyện gi dối
namespace

a lie. People often say ‘untruth’ to avoid saying ‘lie’.

lời nói dối. Người ta thường nói ‘nói dối’ để tránh nói ‘nói dối’.

Example:
  • Her account of what had happened was a patent untruth.

    Lời kể của cô ấy về những gì đã xảy ra là hoàn toàn sai sự thật.

Extra examples:
  • It's not like you to tell an untruth!

    Không giống như việc bạn nói dối!

  • The paper was fined for printing untruths about the affair.

    Tờ báo bị phạt vì in sai sự thật về vụ việc.

Related words and phrases

the state of being false

trạng thái sai