ungenerous
Meaning
Not willing to give or share things, especially money; mean or stingy.
Not kind or sympathetic in your attitude towards others; mean-spirited.
Structure
Usage
It was ungenerous of him to criticize her efforts when she had tried so hard.
The company's ungenerous pension scheme has caused dissatisfaction among the staff.
She regretted her ungenerous thoughts as soon as she learned the full story.
Etymology
The word 'ungenerous' is a straightforward English formation, combining the native Germanic negative prefix 'un-' with the Latinate adjective 'generous'. The core term 'generous' originates from the Latin generōsus, which literally meant "of noble birth or lineage." This meaning evolved through the association of nobility with magnanimity and a willingness to bestow gifts or favors, leading to the modern sense of being liberal in giving. By adding the prefix 'un-', the word directly inverts this quality, creating a term that describes a lack of liberality, either materially in sharing resources or figuratively in spirit and sympathy.
Analysis
- un: A prefix of Germanic origin (Old English, Old High German, Old Norse) meaning "not," used to form negatives of adjectives and their derivatives. - generous: An adjective from Latin generōsus meaning "of noble birth, magnanimous," from genus (birth, race, kind). Its functional role is the core adjective meaning "liberal in giving."