unfulfilled
Meaning
not having achieved one's desires or potential
not carried out or brought to completion
Structure
Usage
she was left with a sense of unfulfilled ambition.
many of the promises made during the campaign remain unfulfilled.
he lived an unfulfilled life, always dreaming but never acting.
Etymology
The word 'unfulfilled' is a Modern English formation built upon the older verb 'fulfill'. 'fulfill' itself originates from Old English 'fullfyllan', a compound of 'full' (complete) and 'fyllan' (to fill), conveying the literal sense of "to fill full" or complete a task or condition. The negative prefix 'un-', of Germanic origin, is attached to negate the state, creating the sense of "not completed" or "not satisfied." The adjectival suffix '-ed' is then added, deriving from the past participle form, to describe the resulting state of something that has not been achieved, realized, or brought to fruition.
Analysis
un: a prefix of germanic origin, meaning "not" or "opposite of". fulfill: a verb of old english origin, from 'full' (complete) + 'fyllan' (to fill). ed: a suffix of old english origin, used to form adjectives from verbs, indicating a state or condition.