righteous

[rahy-chuh s] /ˈraɪ tʃəs/
adjective
1.
characterized by uprightness or morality:
a righteous observance of the law.
2.
morally right or justifiable:
righteous indignation.
3.
acting in an upright, moral way; virtuous:
a righteous and godly person.
4.
Slang. absolutely genuine or wonderful:
some righteous playing by a jazz great.
noun
5.
the righteous, (used with a plural verb) righteous persons collectively.
Origin
before 900; earlier rightwos, rightwis (remodeled with -ous), Middle English; Old English rihtwīs. See right, wise2
Related forms
righteously, adverb
overrighteous, adjective
overrighteously, adverb
overrighteousness, noun
prerighteous, adjective
prerighteously, adverb
prerighteousness, noun
quasi-righteous, adjective
quasi-righteously, adverb
superrighteous, adjective
superrighteously, adverb
superrighteousness, noun
Can be confused
right, righteous, rightful (see usage note at right)
Synonyms
3. good, honest, fair, right.
Antonyms
3. evil, wicked.
Examples from the web for righteous
  • The information is interesting, but its presentation verges on self-righteous.
  • But let's watch the self-righteous indignation and reserve a little anger for the enablers.
  • People are not responding well to the self-righteous rants of animal-rights vegans.
  • Income redistribution is fundamentally a righteous goal of a society.
  • Moreover, many people already view environmentalists as self-righteous and manipulative.
  • The self-righteous call for a retraction is a bit ridiculous.
  • Parents should teach their kids to pay attention to cars instead of being righteous about cross walks.
  • It has been upheld as a brave and righteous affirmation of the need for religious faith in an increasingly godless society.
  • But let's not completely conflate our national self-interest with self-righteous moral judgment.
  • Most satisfyingly for the non-believer, politicians live in terror of being seen as righteous.
British Dictionary definitions for righteous

righteous

/ˈraɪtʃəs/
adjective
1.
  1. characterized by, proceeding from, or in accordance with accepted standards of morality, justice, or uprightness; virtuous: a righteous man
  2. (as collective noun; preceded by the): the righteous
2.
morally justifiable or right, esp from one's own point of view: righteous indignation
Derived Forms
righteously, adverb
righteousness, noun
Word Origin
Old English rīhtwīs, from right + wise²
Word Origin and History for righteous
adj.

early 16c. alteration of rightwise, from Old English rihtwis, from riht (see right) + wis "wise, way, manner" (see wise (adj.)). Suffix altered by influence of courteous, etc. Meaning "genuine, excellent" is 1942 in jazz slang. Related: Righteously.

Slang definitions & phrases for righteous

righteous

adjective

Excellent; genuine; the GREATEST: what we used to call the righteous jazz/ ''Is that righteous gold?'' ''Righteous it ain't, but gold it is'' (1900+ Jazz musicians)