bad-news

The compound 'bad-news' is a straightforward combination of two native English words. 'Bad' has a complex history, possibly deriving from an Old English term for an effeminate man or a verb meaning to defile, eventually solidifying into its general adjectival sense of 'unpleasant or of low quality'. 'News' originates from the adjective 'new', with its plural form coming to signify tidings or recent information. The literal combination, meaning 'unpleasant information', is attested from the 15th century. By the mid-20th century, this concrete meaning was metaphorically extended in informal American English to label a person or thing considered inherently troublesome or undesirable, effectively characterizing them as a bearer of negative reports.

Structure: bad (negative) + news (information) - bad: From Old English bæddel (hermaphrodite) or bædan (to defile), of uncertain origin. Functions as an adjective meaning 'unpleasant, undesirable'. - news: From Middle English newes, a plural form of newe (new thing), from Old English nīwe. Functions as a noun meaning 'new information or reports'.