unsustainable
Meaning
not able to be maintained or continued at the current rate or level
causing damage to the environment by using up natural resources and not replacing them
Structure
Usage
the current level of government spending is economically unsustainable.
clearing forests for agriculture is an unsustainable practice.
the project was canceled due to its unsustainable demands on our resources.
Etymology
The word 'unsustainable' is a Modern English formation built upon the established adjective 'sustainable'. Its core, 'sustain', originates from the Latin verb sustinēre, meaning "to hold up from below, to support," which itself is a compound of sub- (from below) and tenēre (to hold). The suffix '-able' was attached in late Middle English via Old French from Latin -ābilis, creating the meaning "capable of being supported or maintained." Finally, the Old English prefix 'un-' is applied to negate the entire concept, resulting in the contemporary meaning that describes a state or practice which cannot be upheld or continued, especially without causing depletion or harm.
Analysis
- un: a prefix of germanic origin, meaning "not," used to give a negative force. - sustain: from latin sustinēre (to hold up, support), acting as the core verb root. - able: a suffix from latin -ābilis, meaning "capable of, fit for," forming adjectives.