Not justified, authorized, or proven by facts; done without good reason or permission.
From the prefix 'un-' (not) combined with 'warranted,' which comes from Old French 'warrant' meaning 'guarantee' or 'authorization.' A warranted action is one that is guaranteed or justified; an unwarranted one lacks that justification.
The concept of a 'warrant' originally referred to a legal document authorizing action—so calling something 'unwarranted' means it lacks that official permission slip from reality or authority. It's a fascinating legal metaphor that we use casually to judge whether someone's behavior had enough justification behind it.
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