imprudently
UK[ɪmˈpruːdntli]US[ɪmˈpruːdntli]
adv
in a way that shows a lack of care for the consequences of an action; rashly or unwisely
Morpheme Breakdown
im
prudent
ly
im
not
prudent
wise
ly
adverb suffix
Etymology
The adverb 'imprudently' is built upon the core adjective 'prudent', which entered english from old french and ultimately derives from latin 'prudent-', a contraction of 'provident-' meaning "foreseeing, wise". The latin negative prefix 'in-' (here assimilated to 'im-') was attached to negate the quality, forming 'imprudent', meaning "not wise or careful". finally, the old english adverbial suffix '-ly' was added to indicate the manner of action. thus, the word's literal construction, "in the manner of not being foreseeing", logically evolved into its modern sense of acting without careful thought for the future.
Analysis
Structure: im (not) + prudent (wise) + ly (adverb suffix)
- im: a latin prefix meaning "not", a variant of 'in-' used before 'p', 'b', or 'm'.
- prudent: from the english adjective 'prudent', meaning wise and careful in conduct or judgment.
- ly: an old english suffix used to form adverbs from adjectives, indicating manner or quality.
Examples
he imprudently invested all his savings in a risky venture.
speaking imprudently to the press cost her the promotion.
they imprudently set off on the hike without checking the weather forecast.