unsmiling
Meaning
Not smiling; having a serious or stern facial expression.
Structure
Usage
The judge listened to the testimony with an unsmiling expression.
Her unsmiling demeanor made it difficult to tell if she was joking.
The portrait captured him as an unsmiling, formidable leader.
Etymology
The word 'unsmiling' is a straightforward English formation built by adding the common Germanic negative prefix 'un-' to the present participle 'smiling.' The prefix 'un-' has been a productive way to create opposites in English since its Old English roots. The verb 'smile' itself likely entered Middle English from a Scandinavian source, related to Old Norse 'smjla.' The compound 'unsmiling' logically and transparently describes the absence of the action denoted by its base word, evolving from a simple descriptive phrase into a standard adjective for a serious or stern countenance.
Analysis
- un: A prefix of Germanic origin (Old English 'un-'), meaning "not," used to form negative adjectives. - smiling: The present participle of the verb 'smile,' from Middle English 'smilen,' of uncertain origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source.