ill-fated
UK[ˌɪl ˈfeɪtɪd]US[ˌɪl ˈfeɪtɪd]
adj
Certain to have a bad or unlucky outcome; doomed.
adj
Marked by or resulting in misfortune.
Morpheme Breakdown
ill
fate
ed
ill
bad
fate
destiny
ed
adjective suffix
Etymology
The compound adjective 'ill-fated' is a relatively modern English formation, combining the Germanic intensifier 'ill' with the Latinate core concept of 'fate'. 'Fate' itself originates from the Latin fatum, meaning 'that which has been spoken', derived from the verb fari (to speak), reflecting the ancient belief that destiny was decreed by the gods. The suffix '-ed' attaches to the noun 'fate' to create an adjective meaning 'characterized by a (bad) destiny'. Thus, the literal construction 'having a bad destiny' logically evolved into its modern abstract sense of being destined for misfortune or doomed to fail.
Analysis
Structure: ill (bad) + fate (destiny) + ed (adjective suffix)
'ill' from Old English yfel (bad, evil), functioning as an intensifier meaning 'badly'. 'fate' from Latin fatum (that which has been spoken, destiny), functioning as the core noun. 'ed' from Old English -ede, a suffix forming adjectives from nouns, meaning 'having the quality of'.
Examples
The ill-fated expedition was lost in a storm.
She made an ill-fated decision to invest all her savings in the venture.
The ship is remembered for its ill-fated maiden voyage.