un-
un-1 OE. un- = OS. (LG.), (O)HG., Goth. un-, (M)Du. on-, ON. ú-, ó-, corr. to OIr. in-, an-, L. in- IN-2, Gr. an-, a- A-4, AN-2, Skr. an-, a- :- IE. *n-, gradation-var. of *ne not. This prefix, expressing negation or contradiction, has been most frequently used with ppls. and adjs., but there has been restriction with short simple adjs. (e.g. unbold, unglad, unstrong), there being usu. available simple forms with opposite positive meanings; unclean, uneven, unmild, untrue, unwise, etc. are of OE. date, while unable, undue, uneasy, unjust, unsafe are notable exx. of comps. with adjs. of alien origin. On the other hand derivs. from adjs. in -able, -al, -ant, -ar, -ary, -ent, -ful, -ible, -ic(al), -ish, -ive, -ous, -y are very numerous. Formations with ppls. appear freely from OE. times onwards. There are several comps. in common use of which the simplex is now obs. or rare, as unfailing, unfeeling, ungainly, unruly, unspeakable, unwieldy. Participles with pendent particles are freely used, e.g. uncalled-for, unreferred-to, unthought-of.
There are many parallel formations with IN2, esp. in the earlier periods, e.g. inconstant, immeasurable, insatiable, beside unconstant, unmeasurable, unsatiable.
There are many parallel formations with IN2, esp. in the earlier periods, e.g. inconstant, immeasurable, insatiable, beside unconstant, unmeasurable, unsatiable.
More From encyclopedia.com
Alum , alum (ăl´əm), any one of a series of isomorphous double salts that are hydrated sulfates of a univalent cation (e.g., potassium, sodium, ammonium, ce… unbend , un·bend / ˌənˈbend/ • v. (past and past part. -bent ) 1. make or become straight from a bent or twisted form or position: [tr.] I had trouble unbendi… Hepatomegaly , hepatomegaly Enlargement of the liver as a result of congestion (e.g. in heart failure), inflammation or fatty infiltration (as in kwashiorkor).
hepa… Hygroscopic Nucleus , hygroscopic nucleus Microscopic particle (e.g. of sulphur dioxide, salt, dust, or smoke) in the free air, on which water vapour may condense to form… -ism , -ISM
-ISM. A noun-forming SUFFIX, three of whose uses relate to language: (1) Forming words for concepts, activities, and conditions: agrammatism, bi… Silicate , silicate
silicates The most important and abundant group of rock-forming minerals, which can be classified according to the structural arrangement of…
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
un-