unmotivated en · ADJ
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- Anglo-Norman motifder. Middle French motifder. Proto-Indo-European *m(y)ewh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Indo-European *m(y)owh₁éyeti Proto-Italic *moweō Latin moveō Latin mōtus Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder. Latin -īvus Late Latin mōtīvumder. Middle English motif English motive Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Indo-European *-eh₂tos Proto-Italic *-ātos Latin -ātuslbor. English -ate English motivated English unmotivated From un- + motivated.
Meanings
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(of a person or persons) Lacking motivation, without impetus to strive or excel.
When a typically chatty employee who often participates in meetings and is engaged and enthusiastic suddenly becomes unmotivated and quieter, that person could be at risk for burnout.
2019 September 9, Kathryn Vasel, “Burnout is a big deal. Here’s how managers can spot it”, in CNN Business:an unmotivated student
Near-synonym: demotivated
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(of an act or behavior) For which there is no motive, or no apparent rational motive.
Near-synonym: unprovoked
an unmotivated murder
An inherited etymology should not involve too many unmotivated irrregular sound changes aor ^([sic]) non-trivial semantic shifts.
2025, Cid Swanenvleugel, The Pre-Roman Elements of the Sardinian Lexicon, page 41:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| most unmotivated | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| more unmotivated | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Coordinates
senseless · random · pointless
Deriveds
unmotivatedly · unmotivatedness
Relateds
Synonyms
Translations (8)
sv omotiverad (lacking motivation) · pt desmotivado (lacking motivation) · ru немотивированный (lacking motivation) · mi hihikokore (lacking motivation) · pl bez motywacji (lacking motivation) · fi epämotivoitunut (lacking motivation) · pdt eendoontich (lacking motivation) · mhr амалдыме (lacking motivation)