unembarrassed
Meaning
not feeling or showing embarrassment, shame, or self-consciousness.
not made complicated or difficult; free from impediment or obstruction.
Structure
Usage
she gave an unembarrassed laugh at her own mistake.
he spoke with unembarrassed confidence about his achievements.
the funding continued in an unembarrassed flow, allowing the project to proceed smoothly.
Etymology
The word "unembarrassed" is formed by adding the Old English negative prefix "un-" to the past participle "embarrassed." The core verb "embarrass" entered English in the late 16th century from French 'embarrasser', which itself derived from Spanish/Portuguese 'embarazar', meaning to obstruct or impede, likely from a root related to a barrier. The original sense was literal, concerning physical obstruction, but it evolved metaphorically to describe a state of mental or social hindrance—feeling awkward or ashamed. Therefore, "unembarrassed" literally means "not placed in a state of impediment," logically extending to its modern meaning of being free from shame or awkwardness.
Analysis
un- (old english, a prefix meaning "not"); embarrass (french/spanish/portuguese, from the root meaning to obstruct or impede); -ed (old english, a suffix forming adjectives from verbs or nouns).