unmanageable
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Meaning
difficult or impossible to control, handle, or deal with.
Structure
Usage
the project's budget became unmanageable after several unexpected costs arose.
her hair was so thick and curly that it was completely unmanageable in the humid weather.
the teacher found the large class size to be unmanageable without an assistant.
Etymology
The word 'unmanageable' is a relatively Modern English formation, built upon the established verb 'manage.' The core concept of 'manage' traces back to the Latin manus (hand), reflecting the original sense of handling something physically. The suffix '-able,' from Latin -abilis, was added to create the adjective 'manageable,' meaning "capable of being handled or controlled." Finally, the Old English negative prefix 'un-' was prefixed to invert the meaning, resulting in the current sense of something that cannot be controlled or handled. This construction exemplifies the layered nature of English vocabulary, combining a Latin-derived core with a Germanic prefix to express a precise negative quality.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin (old english un-), meaning "not," used to form negatives. - manage: a verb of latin origin (via italian maneggiare, from latin manus meaning "hand"), meaning "to handle or control." - able: a suffix of latin origin (via old french -able, from latin -abilis), meaning "capable of, fit for."