Dictionary

infelicitous en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˌɪn.fəˈlɪs.ɪ.təs/ (UK)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˌɪn.fɛlˈɪs.ɪ.təs/ (UK)
• /ˌɪn.fəˈlɪs.ə.təs/ (US)
• /ˌɪn.fəˈlɪs.ɪ.təs/ (US)
• /ˌɪn.fɪˈlɪs.ɪ.təs/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Italic *n̥- Latin in-bor. Middle English in- English in- English felicitous English infelicitous From in- + felicitous.

Meanings

1. Unhappy or unfortunate.
   • If leading a "dog's life" be considered a peculiar phase of human misery, the life of a Boys' Dog is still more infelicitous. 1973, Bret Harte, “A Boy's Dog”, in Mrs. Skaggs's Husbands and Other Sketches:
   • My last run this month is an amazing performance of an "A2/3" Pacific, No. 60524, Herringbone (could there possibly be a more infelicitous name for a locomotive than this, let alone for the unhappy horse which first had to bear it?), […]. 1953 December, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Performance and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 838:
2. Inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done.
   • "Now, you've got just grounds for shooting me," he said gaily, and instantly regretted his infelicitous remark. 1909, William MacLeod Raine, “chapter 24”, in Ridgway of Montana:
3. Of a sentence or utterance: not semantically and pragmatically coherent.

Forms

Deriveds

infelicitously · infelicitousness

Synonyms

unlucky (unlucky) · lamentable · sad (unhappy)

Translations (43)

da uheldig (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · es impropio (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · fr inadéquat (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · bg злополучен (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · de unglücklich (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · no uheldig (unhappy or unfortunate) · es desgraciado (unhappy or unfortunate) · es torpe (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · es inadecuado (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · ca infeliç (unhappy or unfortunate) · fi epäonninen (unhappy or unfortunate) · ca inadequat (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · no ulykkelig (unhappy or unfortunate) · fr gauche (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · ca maldestre (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · es infeliz (unhappy or unfortunate) · ru неуме́стный (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · ru неуда́чный (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · es aciago (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · no uheldig (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · fr malheureux (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · de ungeschickt (unhappy or unfortunate) · fi surkea (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · ru неподходя́щий (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · ru несчастли́вый (unhappy or unfortunate) · ca desgraciat (unhappy or unfortunate) · de unglücklich (unhappy or unfortunate) · bg неудачен (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · fi onneton (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · fi onneton (unhappy or unfortunate) · pl niefortunny (unhappy or unfortunate) · de ungeschickt (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · pl nieudany (unhappy or unfortunate) · fr maladroit (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · es desventurado (unhappy or unfortunate) · es infortunado (unhappy or unfortunate) · pl nieszczęsny (unhappy or unfortunate) · ca impropi (inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done) · da uheldig (unhappy or unfortunate) · ru несча́стный (unhappy or unfortunate) · bg злощастен (unhappy or unfortunate) · fr infortuné (unhappy or unfortunate) · es desdichado (unhappy or unfortunate)