unexpected
Meaning
not expected or regarded as likely to happen
causing surprise because not anticipated
Structure
Usage
the announcement came as an unexpected surprise.
we encountered unexpected delays due to the weather.
her resignation was completely unexpected.
Etymology
The word 'unexpected' is a relatively Modern English formation, built upon the well-established verb 'expect.' The verb itself entered English from Latin 'expectare,' meaning "to look out for," which is a compound of 'ex-' ("out") and 'spectare' ("to look"). The negative prefix 'un-', of ancient Germanic lineage, is one of the most productive in English for creating opposites. The adjectival suffix '-ed' is added to the verb stem to form a participle that functions as an adjective, describing something that has not been looked out for or anticipated. Thus, the literal construction "not looked out for" evolved seamlessly into the modern abstract sense of something surprising or unforeseen.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin (old english) meaning "not," used to give a negative or opposite force. - expect: a verb of latin origin (from 'expectare'), meaning to look out for, await, or anticipate. - ed: a suffix of germanic origin (old english) used to form adjectives from verbs or nouns, indicating a state or condition.