extremely unhappy, miserable, or of very poor quality.
From Middle English 'wrecche,' derived from Old English 'wræcca' meaning 'outcast' or 'exile.' The word originally described someone cast out from society, later evolving to mean anyone in a miserable state.
The word 'wretched' literally comes from people who were banished and forced to live outside society—imagine being torn from your home. This is why it carries such heavy emotional weight even today.
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