Etymology dictionary

unreliable (adj.) — unsupervised (adj.)

unreliable (adj.)

1835 (Fanny Kemble), from un- (1) "not" + reliable (adj.).

unrelieved (adj.)

"monotonous, unvarying," 1764, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of relieve (v.).

unremarkable (adj.)

1610s, from un- (1) "not" + remarkable (adj.). Related: Unremarkably.

unremitting (adj.)

1728, from un- (1) "not" + present participle of remit (v.). Related: Unremittingly.

unremitted (adj.)

1640s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of remit (v.).

unrepairable (adj.)

1610s, from un- (1) "not" + repairable (adj.). Related: Unrepairably.

unrepentant (adj.)

late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + repentant (adj.).

unrequited (adj.)

1540s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of requite (v.). The earliest reference is to love.

unreserved (adj.)

1530s, "not restricted or withheld," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of reserve (v.). From 1713 as "open, frank." Related: Unreservedly.

unresisting (adj.)

1620s, from un- (1) "not" + present participle of resist (v.).

unresolved (adj.)

1570s, "undecided" (of questions), from un- (1) "not" + past participle of resolve (v.). Meaning "uncertain in opinion" is attested from 1590s.

unresponsive (adj.)

1660s, "unable to reply," from un- (1) "not" + responsive (adj.). Meaning "not responding" is from 1775. Related: Unresponsiveness.

unrest (n.)

mid-14c., from un- (1) "not" + rest (n.). Similar formation in West Frisian onrest, Middle Low German unreste, German unrast, Middle Dutch onruste.

unrestrained (adj.)

1580s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of restrain (v.). Related: Unrestrainedly.

unrewarded (adj.)

early 15c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of reward (v.).

unrighteous (adj.)

1520s; see un- (1) "not" + righteous (adj.). In Middle English, the word was unrightwis, from Old English unrihtwis. Related: Unrighteously; unrighteousness.

Old English unripe "premature" (in reference to death), from un- (1) "not" + ripe (adj.). Meaning "immature, not fully developed (of fruit, etc.) is recorded from mid-13c. Similar formation in Middle Dutch onrijp, Old High German unrifi, German unreif.

unrivalled (adj.)

also unrivaled, 1590s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of rival (v.).

unroll (v.)

early 15c. (transitive), from un- (2) + roll (v.). Intransitive sense from 1580s. Related: Unrolled; unrolling.

unromantic (adj.)

1731, from un- (1) "not" + romantic (adj.).

unruffled (adj.)

1650s in figurative sense, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of ruffle (v.). Literal meaning, in reference to feathers, leaves, etc., is recorded from 1816.

unruly (adj.)

"disposed to resist lawful restraint," c. 1400, from un- (1) "not" + obsolete ruly (adj.) "amenable to rule." Related: Unruliness.

unsafe (adj.)

1590s, "involving risk or danger," from un- (1) "not" + safe (adj.).

unsaid (adj.)

Old English unsæd, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of say (v.). Similar formation in Middle Dutch ongeseit, German ungesagt, Old Norse usagðr.

unsalted (adj.)

mid-15c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of salt (v.). Similar formation in North Frisian unsalted, Swedish osaltad, Danish usaltet.

unsanitary (adj.)

1871, from un- (1) "not" + sanitary (adj.).

unsatiable (adj.)

late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + satiable (adj.). Since 17c. the usual form is insatiable.

unsatisfactory (adj.)

1640s, from un- (1) "not" + satisfactory (adj.). Related: Unsatisfactorily; unsatisfactoriness.

unsatisfied (adj.)

early 15c., from un- (1) "not" + satisfied (adj.).

unsaturated (adj.)

1756, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of saturate (v.).

unsavory (adj.)

also unsavoury, early 13c., "tasteless, insipid," from un- (1) "not" + savory (adj.). Meaning "unpleasant or disagreeable to the taste" is attested from late 14c.; of persons, from c. 1400. Related: Unsavoriness.

unscathed (adj.)

late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of scathe (v.). Mainly in Scottish before 19c. Similar formation in Old Norse ostaðaðr, Swedish oskadad. An older word in the same sense was scatheless (c. 1200).

unschooled (adj.)

1580s, "untrained," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of school (v.). A verb unschool is attested from 1820.

unscramble (v.)

"restore to order," 1911, from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + scramble (v.). The original use is in a quip attributed to U.S. financier J.P. Morgan (1837-1913) about the impossibility of unscrambling an omelet.

Related: Unscrambled; unscrambling.

unscriptural (adj.)

1650s, from un- (1) "not" + scriptural (adj.).

unscrupulous (adj.)

1803, from un- (1) "not" + scrupulous (adj.). Related: Unscrupulously; unscrupulousness.

unseal (v.)

early 15c., from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + seal (v.). Similar formation in Middle Dutch ontsegelen, Old High German intsigilan. Related: Unsealed (late 14c.).

unsearchable (adj.)

late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + searchable (adj.).

unseasonable (adj.)

mid-15c., "inopportune," from un- (1) "not" + seasonable (adj.). In reference to weather, "not appropriate to the time of year," it is recorded from 1510s. Related: Unseasonably.

unseasoned (adj.)

1580s, "not made palatable by seasoning," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of season (v.). Meaning "not habituated by experience" is recorded from c. 1600.

unseat (v.)

1590s, "to throw down from a seat" (especially on horseback), from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + seat (v.). Meaning "to deprive of rank or office" is attested from 1610s; especially of elected office in a representative body from 1834. Related: Unseated; unseating.

unsecure (adj.)

1630s, from un- (1) "not" + secure (adj.). A useful differentiation from insecure since the latter word acquired a psychological sense.

unsecured (adj.)

1780, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of secure (v.).

unseeded (adj.)

1775, "not sown," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of seed (v.). From 1932 in the sports sense.

unseemly (adj.)

c. 1300, "visually unpleasing, unattractive, ugly;" mid-14c., "unfitting, indecent, inappropriate," from un- (1) "not" + seemly (adj.). Similar formation in Old Norse usoemiligr. Related: Unseemliness.

unseen (adj.)

early 13c., from un- (1) "not" + seen. Similar formation in Old English ungesewen, Middle Dutch ongesien, Dutch ongezien, Old High German ungesëhan, German ungesehen, Old Norse usenn.

unselfish (adj.)

1690s, from un- (1) "not" + selfish (adj.). Similar formation in Danish uselvisk, Swedish osjälfvisk. Related: Unselfishly; unselfishness.

unsentimental (adj.)

1752, from un- (1) "not" + sentimental (adj.). Related: Unsentimentally.

unseparable (adj.)

late 14c. from un- (1) "not" + separable (adj.). The usual word now is inseparable.

unsettled (adj.)

1590s, "not peaceful, not firmly established," from unsettle (v.) or else from un- (1) "not" + past participle of settle (v.). Meaning "not occupied by settlers" is attested from 1724.

unsettle (v.)

1590s, "undo from a fixed position," from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + settle (v.). Of the mind, feelings, etc., attested from 1640s. Related: Unsettled; unsettling.

unsex (v.)

"deprive of the qualities considered typical of one's gender," c. 1600, from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + sex (n.). Related: Unsexed; unsexing.

unshakable (adj.)

1610s; see un- (1) "not" + shake (v.) + -able. Of beliefs, etc., from 1670s.

unshaken (adj.)

mid-15c., "not agitated," from un- (1) "not" + shaken. Meaning "not moved from a firm position" is recorded from 1540s.

unsheathe (v.)

late 14c., from un- (2) "reverse, opposite of" + sheathe (v.). Related: Unsheathed; unsheathing.

unshod (adj.)

"without shoes," Old English unscod; see un- (1) "not" + shod (adj.). Old English had also a verb unscogan "to unshoe."

unshorn (adj.)

Old English unscoren; see un- (1) "not" + shorn (adj.).

unsightly (adj.)

1540s, "displeasing to the eye," from un- (1) "not" + sight (n.) + -ly (1). Similar formation in Middle Dutch onsichtlijc "invisible; ugly," Middle High German unsihtlih "invisible." Related: Unsightliness.

Middle English sightlie is attested from mid-15c. but only in the sense "visible;" unsightly is attested in Middle English only as an adverb meaning "invisibly" (late 15c.). Sightly as "pleasing to the eye" is from 1560s. Middle English also had unsighty "difficult or displeasing to look at" (early 15c., from sighty "attractive," late 14c.), also unsightily in the same sense (c. 1400).

unsinkable (adj.)

1650s, from un- (1) "not" + sinkable (see sink (v.)).

unskilled (adj.)

1580s, from un- (1) "not" + skill.

unskillful (adj.)

also unskilful, late 14c., "foolish," from un- (1) "not" + skillful (adj.). Meaning "inexpert" is from 1560s. Related: Unskillfully.

unsmiling (adj.)

1730, from un- (1) "not" + present participle of smile (v.).

unsociable (adj.)

c. 1600, from un- (1) "not" + sociable (adj.). Insociable is older (1580s) but less common.

unsold (adj.)

mid-14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of sell (v.).

unsolicited (adj.)

1580s, "unpetitioned, not approached with a request," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of solicit (v.). Meaning "not asked for, unsought" is from 1680s.

unsolved (adj.)

1660s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of solve (v.).

unsophisticated (adj.)

1620s, "unmixed," from un- (1) "not" + sophisticated (adj.). Meaning "ingenuous, natural, inexperienced" is recorded from 1660s.

unsorted (adj.)

1530s, from un- (1) "not" + past participle of sort (v.).

unsought (adj.)

early 13c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of seek (v.). Similar formation in Middle Dutch ongesocht, Dutch ongezocht, Middle High German ungesuochet, German ungesucht.

unsound (adj.)

early 14c., of persons, "diseased, wounded," from un- (1) "not" + sound (adj.). Similar formation in Middle Low German unsund, Middle Dutch ongesont, German ungesund. Meaning "morally corrupt" is recorded from c. 1300; that of "not mentally healthy" is from 1540s. Sense of "not based on reasoning or fact" is attested from 1590s. Related: Unsoundly; unsoundness.

unsparing (adj.)

"showing no mercy," 1580s, from un- (1) "not" + sparing, attested from late 14c. as a present-participle adjective from spare (v.). Meaning "profuse" is from 1660s. Related: Unsparingly.

unspeakable (adj.)

c. 1400, "inexpressible," from un- (1) "not" + speakable (see speak (v.)). Meaning "indescribably bad or wicked" is recorded from mid-15c. Related: Unspeakably.

unspoiled (adj.)

c. 1500, "not plundered," from un- (1) "not" + past participle of spoil (v.). Meaning "not deteriorated" is attested from 1732. A verb unspoil is attested from c. 1400, but it meant "despoil."

unspoken (adj.)

late 14c., from un- (1) "not" + past participle of speak (v.). Similar formation in Middle Dutch ongesproken, Middle Low German ungesproken.

unsporting (adj.)

1822, from un- (1) "not" + sporting (adj.).

unsportsmanlike (adj.)

1754, from un- (1) "not" + sportsmanlike.

unstable (adj.)

early 13c., "apt to move," from un- (1) "not" + stable (adj.). Similar formation in Middle High German unstabel. Meaning "liable to fall" is recorded from c. 1300; sense of "fickle" is attested from late 13c. An Old English word for this was feallendlic, which might have become *fally.