unappetizing
unappetizing
UK[ʌnˈæp.ɪ.taɪ.zɪŋ]US[ʌnˈæp.ə.taɪ.zɪŋ]
adj
not looking, smelling, or tasting good to eat
adj
not attractive or appealing
Morpheme Breakdown
un
appetiz
ing
un
not
appetiz
e) (to stimulate appetite
ing
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word 'unappetizing' is a modern english formation built upon the older noun 'appetite.' this noun entered english via old french from latin 'appetitus,' meaning a desire or craving, which itself derives from the latin verb 'appetere' (to strive after, seek out), composed of 'ad-' (toward) and 'petere' (to seek). the verb 'appetize' was created in the 18th century to mean "to stimulate appetite," and the present participle form 'appetizing' described something that performs this action. the addition of the old english negative prefix 'un-' logically inverts the meaning, resulting in a term that describes food, or metaphorically other things, that fail to stimulate desire or appeal.
Analysis
Structure: un (not) + appetiz(e) (to stimulate appetite) + ing (adjective suffix)
- un: a prefix of english origin (from old english) meaning "not," serving a negating function.
- appetize: a verb-forming element derived from the noun 'appetite,' which originates from latin 'appetitus' (desire, longing for). its functional role is to provide the core meaning related to stimulating desire for food.
- ing: a suffix of english origin (from old english) used to form present participles and adjectives, indicating a quality or state.
Examples
the grey, overcooked vegetables looked completely unappetizing.
he was presented with an unappetizing choice between two equally poor options.
the restaurant's dirty windows gave it an unappetizing appearance from the street.