unladylike
Meaning
not appropriate for or typical of a well-mannered woman or girl
Structure
Usage
she considered chewing gum in public to be rather unladylike.
his mother scolded him for his unladylike language, though he was a boy.
the character was praised for breaking unladylike stereotypes.
Etymology
the word 'unladylike' is a modern english formation built from native germanic elements. its core, 'lady,' originates from old english 'hlæfdige,' a compound meaning "loaf-kneader," which evolved to denote a woman of authority or high social standing. the suffix '-like,' from old english '-lic,' was used to create adjectives meaning "having the form or body of." by adding the old english negative prefix 'un-' to the established adjective 'ladylike,' the word was constructed to directly signify the absence of qualities deemed characteristic of a refined woman, reflecting social norms through linguistic negation.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin (old english) meaning "not," serving a negating function. - lady: a noun of old english origin (from "hlæfdige," meaning "loaf-kneader" or mistress of a household), serving as the core semantic root. - like: a suffix of old english origin (from "lic," meaning "body" or "form"), serving to form adjectives meaning "having the characteristics of."