unfavorable

UK: ʌnˈfeɪvərəbl | US: ʌnˈfeɪvərəbl

Definition

  1. adj. not giving approval or support; negative

  2. adj. likely to cause difficulties or disadvantages

  3. adj. (of conditions) not advantageous

Structure
un <not>favor <support>able <capable of>
Etymology

The word "unfavorable" combines three morphemes:

  1. "un-" (Old English "un-"), a prefix meaning "not," used to negate the root.
  2. "favor" (Latin "favor," meaning "goodwill" or "support"), the core concept of approval or preference.
  3. "-able" (Latin "-abilis"), a suffix indicating capability or tendency.
    Originally, "favor" entered English via Old French, retaining its Latin sense of kindness or partiality. Adding "un-" flips the meaning to disapproval, while "-able" extends it to describe conditions or outcomes. The word evolved to describe both subjective opinions ("unfavorable review") and objective circumstances ("unfavorable weather").
Examples

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