faithlessness

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   disloyalty or treacherous failure to keep a promise, commitment, or trust

   The alliance collapsed because of the princes' repeated faithlessness.

2. 2
   noun

   sexual unfaithfulness to a spouse or partner

   The novel traces the harm caused by his faithlessness throughout the marriage.

3. 3
   noun

   lack of religious faith or belief

   The preacher interpreted their doubt as faithlessness, though they saw it as honest inquiry.

Formed from faithless + -ness. Faithless combines faith with -less ('without'), so the noun developed parallel senses for failing to keep faith with another person and for lacking religious faith.

Topics