unwillingness

UK: ʌnˈwɪlɪŋnəs | US: ʌnˈwɪlɪŋnəs

Definition

  1. n. the state or quality of being reluctant or disinclined to do something

Structure
un <not>willing <ready to act>ness <noun suffix indicating state>
Etymology

The word "unwillingness" is formed by combining three morphemes:

  1. "un-" (Old English "un-"), a prefix meaning "not," negates the following term.
  2. "willing" (Old English "willan," meaning "to wish or desire"), derived from "will" + "-ing," signifies readiness or consent.
  3. "-ness" (Old English "-nes"), a suffix converting adjectives into nouns denoting a state or quality.
    The progression reflects a logical construction: the absence (un-) of a readiness (willing) becomes a noun describing the state (-ness) of reluctance.
Examples

  1. Her unwillingness to compromise delayed the negotiations.

  2. The team sensed his unwillingness to participate in the project.

  3. Despite his unwillingness, he agreed to attend the meeting.

  4. The child's unwillingness to share toys caused frustration.

  5. The policy faced criticism due to its unwillingness to adapt to new evidence.