unbearably
Meaning
to an extreme degree; in a way that is too unpleasant, painful, or severe to accept or deal with.
Structure
Usage
the wait for the test results was unbearably long.
it was unbearably hot in the crowded subway car.
she found his arrogance unbearably irritating.
Etymology
The word "unbearably" is a layered construction built upon the Old English verb beran, meaning "to carry" or "to bear," which traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root bher-, carrying the same fundamental sense. The addition of the Latin-derived suffix -able (via French) transformed the verb into the adjective "bearable," meaning "able to be endured." The prefix un-, of Germanic origin, then negates this to form "unbearable," meaning "not able to be endured." Finally, the adverbial suffix -ly is appended, converting the adjective into an adverb that describes an action performed to an intolerable degree. Thus, the word's logic moves from the ancient concept of carrying a burden, through the capacity to endure it, to the negation of that capacity, and finally to the manner in which that state is manifested.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin, meaning "not" or "opposite of". it functions as a negative particle. - bear: from old english beran, meaning "to carry, bring, endure". in this word, it functions as the core root with the sense of "enduring". - ably: a suffix from latin -abilis via old french -able and -ably, meaning "in a manner that can be [verb]ed". it forms adverbs from adjectives ending in -able.