unrealistic
unrealistic
UK[ˌʌnrɪəˈlɪstɪk]US[ˌʌnriːəˈlɪstɪk]
adj
not showing or accepting things as they are; based on hopes or wishes that are unlikely to be fulfilled
adj
(of a goal, plan, etc.) not practical or achievable
Morpheme Breakdown
un
real
istic
un
not
real
actual, true
istic
adjective suffix
Etymology
the word "unrealistic" is a modern english formation built upon the adjective "realistic," which itself derives from the noun "realist." the core root is the latin res, meaning "thing" or "matter," which evolved into the adjective "real" signifying something grounded in actual existence. the suffix "-istic" was added to form "realistic," describing an attitude aligned with factual reality. the old english prefix "un-," a common negator, was then attached to create the opposite meaning, describing an approach or expectation that is not based on, or does not accept, practical facts. thus, the term's logic flows from the concrete notion of "things as they are" to an abstract quality of being disconnected from that tangible reality.
Analysis
Structure: un (not) + real (actual, true) + istic (adjective suffix)
- un: a prefix of english origin (from old english) meaning "not," used to give a negative or opposite force to adjectives and their derivative nouns or adverbs.
- real: a root of latin origin (from latin realis, from res meaning "thing, matter") meaning "actual, true, relating to things as they are."
- istic: an adjective-forming suffix of greek and latin origin (via latin -isticus, greek -istikos), meaning "of, relating to, or characteristic of."
Examples
it is unrealistic to expect everything to go perfectly according to plan.
his dreams of becoming a famous actor overnight were completely unrealistic.
the project was abandoned due to unrealistic budget and time constraints.