unsuccessfully
Meaning
In a manner that does not achieve a desired aim or outcome.
Structure
Usage
He tried unsuccessfully to repair the old engine.
The team campaigned unsuccessfully for the new policy.
She argued her case unsuccessfully before the judge.
Etymology
The word 'unsuccessfully' is a layered construction built upon the core Latin concept of 'success.' The Latin verb succedere, meaning 'to come after, to go well,' gave rise to the noun successus for a favorable outcome. In English, the adjective 'successful' was formed by adding the suffix '-ful,' meaning 'full of,' to this noun. To negate this quality, the Germanic prefix 'un-' was attached, creating 'unsuccessful.' Finally, the adverbial suffix '-ly,' tracing back to an Old English word for 'body' or 'form,' was appended to describe the manner of an action, completing the logical journey from a Latin idea of favorable progression to its modern English opposite describing an action done without achieving a desired result.
Analysis
- un: A prefix of Germanic origin (Old English un-), meaning "not." It functions as a negative particle. - success: A noun of Latin origin (successus, from succedere 'come close after'), meaning the accomplishment of an aim or purpose. It functions as the core semantic root. - fully: An adverbial suffix of Germanic origin (Old English -līce, from līc 'body, form'), meaning "in a manner of." It converts the adjective 'successful' into an adverb.