unintentional
Meaning
not done or made on purpose; not deliberate or intended
Structure
Usage
the damage to the painting was completely unintentional.
she apologized for the unintentional offense her remark might have caused.
the comedy in the film often arises from unintentional misunderstandings.
Etymology
the word "unintentional" is a modern english formation built upon the core noun "intention". this noun traces back to latin intentio, derived from the verb intendere, meaning 'to stretch toward' or 'aim at', which itself is a compound of in- ('toward') and tendere ('to stretch'). the adjective-forming suffix "-al" was attached to create "intentional", meaning 'characterized by purpose'. finally, the old english negative prefix "un-" was prefixed to negate the meaning, resulting in the modern sense of something done without purpose or aim. the evolution from the physical concept of 'stretching toward a target' to the abstract idea of 'purpose' and then to its negation illustrates a clear logical progression in meaning.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of english origin (from old english) meaning "not". - intention: a noun of latin origin (from latin intentio, from intendere meaning 'to stretch toward, aim at'). - al: a suffix of latin origin (via french) used to form adjectives meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by".