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benightedlacking knowledge, awareness, or enlightenment; ignorant

Part of speech: ADJECTIVE

Definition: lacking knowledge, awareness, or enlightenment; ignorant

Pronunciation (IPA): /bɪˈnaɪtɪd/

Example Sentences

  • My benighted roommate thought Alaska was an island next to Hawaii because that's how it appears on US maps.
  • The benighted tourists kept asking where they could see penguins in the North Pole.
  • In those benighted times, people believed that washing would make them sick.

benighted

ADJECTIVE

[/bɪˈnaɪtɪd/]

lacking knowledge, awareness, or enlightenment; ignorant

benighted — lacking knowledge, awareness, or enlightenment; ignorant (concept illustration)
💡 Concept
Be knighted in darkness — missing obvious enlightenment signs everywhere!
🧠 Mnemonic

Be knighted in darkness — missing obvious enlightenment signs everywhere!

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🎤Pronunciation

🇺🇸 US/bɪˈnaɪtɪd/
🇬🇧 UK/bɪˈnaɪtɪd/

🌳Etymology

Prefixbe--
Rootnight
Suffix--ed

Origin

From Middle English, literally meaning 'overtaken by night.' The word evolved from the idea of being caught in darkness to describe someone trapped in ignorance or lacking enlightenment.

Breakdown

be- (prefix meaning 'surrounded by' or 'affected by') + night (darkness) + -ed (past participle suffix)

🎵Rhyme

inviteddelightedignitedsighted
invited
delighted
ignited
sighted

🔗Collocations

benighted masses
benighted ignorance
benighted superstition
benighted prejudice
remain benighted

📝Examples

😄 Fun example

My benighted roommate thought Alaska was an island next to Hawaii because that's how it appears on US maps.

😄 Fun example

The benighted tourists kept asking where they could see penguins in the North Pole.

In those benighted times, people believed that washing would make them sick.

The professor criticized the benighted attitudes toward mental health in the past.

📚Related Words

Synonyms

ignorantunenlightenedbackwardprimitiveuninformed

Antonyms

enlightenededucatedinformed

Related

darknessignorancesuperstitionprejudicebackwardness

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