misbegotten

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The Word of the Day for September 20 is: 

misbegotten   \miss-bih-GAH-tun\   adjective
     1 : unlawfully conceived : illegitimate 
    *2 : having a disreputable or improper origin 
     3 : contemptible, deformed 

Example sentence:
     "I think I've disproven that misbegotten notion that blondes aren't 
smart," said Susan of her perfect grade point average.

Did you know?
     In the beginning, there was "bigietan," and "bigietan" begot "beyeten," 
and in the days of Middle English "beyeten" begot "begeten," and from thence 
sprung "misbegotten." That's a bit flowery, but it accurately traces the path 
that led to "misbegotten." All of the Old English and Middle English ancestors 
listed above basically mean the same thing as the modern "beget," that is, "to 
father" or "to produce as an effect or outgrowth." That linguistic line brought 
forth "misbegotten" by adding the prefix "mis-" (meaning "wrong," "bad," or 
"not") in the mid-1500s.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.