Dictionary

unwise en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ʌnˈwaɪz/
• (Southern-England) audio

Etymology

From Middle English unwis, from Old English unwīs (“unwise, foolish, ignorant, uninformed, insane”), equivalent to un- + wise. Cognate with Dutch onwijs (“unwise”), German unweise (“unwise”), Danish uvis (“unwise”), Swedish ovis (“unwise”), Icelandic óvís (“unwise”).

Meanings

1. Not wise; lacking wisdom
   • unwise man
   • If the kind of network we envisage is to be established, it would be unwise to begin any of its services hurriedly with older stock, which, however admirable in its day, now has an air of faded Edwardian splendour that is out of joint with the times. 1962 December, “A new Pullman era?”, in Modern Railways, page 362:
   • unwise measures
   • unwise kings
   • Their use was “impermissible not because it is unwise or ineffective, but because [federal law]^([sic]) does not allow it”, the decision explained. 2025 May 29, Kalyeena Makortoff, “US federal court blocks Trump from imposing sweeping tariffs”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:

Forms

Antonyms

wise

Deriveds

unwiseness

Synonyms

foolish · indiscreet · injudicious · imprudent · mad

Translations (25)

nl onverstandig (not wise) · got 𐌿𐌽𐍆𐍂𐍉𐌸𐍃 (not wise) · mi rorohuri (not wise) · pdt onweis (not wise) · gv anchreeney (not wise) · eo malsaĝa (not wise) · ga neamhchríonna (not wise) · ca imprudent (not wise) · ru неразу́мный (not wise) · cs nemoudrý (not wise) · gv neuchreeney (not wise) · fi epäviisas (not wise) · de unklug (not wise) · it imprudente (not wise) · sv oklok (not wise) · it insipiente (not wise) · gv neuhushtagh (not wise) · pl nierozsądny (not wise) · uk нерозу́мний (not wise) · bg неразу́мен (not wise) · mi pokerenoa (not wise) · la insipiens (not wise) · pt insensato (not wise) · grc ἄσοφος (not wise) · la imprudens (not wise)