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Added 9 October 2026

wretched

/ˈɹɛt͡ʃɪd/ adjective

In Latin: miser Wiktionary

adjective Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about wretched at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Of very poor quality or condition.
deplorable housing conditions in the inner city
Characterized by physical misery.
a wet miserable weekend
Very unhappy; full of misery.
he felt depressed and miserable

Origin

From Middle English wrecched (“(adjective) characterized by or suffering hardship or misfortune, miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; indigent, poor; of low economic or social status, lowly; (noun) miserable person”) [and other forms], from wrecche (“characterized by or suffering hardship or misfortune, miserable, unfortunate, unhappy; indigent, poor; of low economic or social status, lowly; base, contemptible, vile; reprehensible, wicked; miserly, stingy; of little importance, paltry, worthless”) (from Late Old English wrecc, from Old English wreċċa (“an exile, outcast”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *wreg- (“to follow, track; to hunt”)) + -ed (suffix forming adjectives).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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