precarious
Meaning
not safe or certain; dangerous because something bad might happen
dependent on chance; uncertain
Structure
Usage
the ladder rested in a precarious position against the wall.
she made a precarious living as a freelance artist.
the climber was in a precarious situation, clinging to the rock face with one hand.
Etymology
the word precarious originates from the latin precarius, meaning 'obtained by entreaty or prayer'. this, in turn, derives from precari, 'to pray'. the core semantic link is that something obtained through prayer is inherently uncertain, dependent on the favor or whim of another rather than on a stable right or foundation. this sense of dependence on external forces and lack of security evolved from its literal religious context into the modern abstract meanings of physical danger and general uncertainty. the journey from a plea to a deity to describing an unstable situation encapsulates the word's logic of vulnerability contingent upon unpredictable factors.
Analysis
prec is from latin precari meaning 'to pray, entreat'. arious is a latin-derived adjective-forming suffix.