adj
Freq #49230
Meanings
-
1
adj
not worthy of a reward, benefit, punishment, or particular treatment
The committee rejected the claim that struggling families were undeserving of support.
Thesaurus
Etymology
Formed from un- ('not') + deserving, the present participial adjective of deserve. Deserve came through Old French deservir from Latin deservire, 'to serve diligently,' and shifted from earning by service to meriting a reward or consequence.