🇩🇪German Source WordCode: DE

unerfreulich

Pronunciation / Transliteration: unerfreulich

🇬🇧 Direct English Meaning:
Unenviable/ʌnˈɛn.vi.ə.bəl/
adjectiveCEFR B2 (Upper)Top #15000 frequency
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🇩🇪 Example Sentence in German:

"Seine unerfreuliche Lage machte ihn zum Ziel von Spott."

Comprehensive Definitions & Senses

2 senses
As adjective
  1. 1

    Not desirable or worthy of envy; typically used to describe a situation or condition that is unfortunate or undesirable.

    "His unenviable position as the team's scapegoat made him the target of criticism."
  2. 2

    Describing a state that is likely to provoke pity or disdain rather than admiration.

    "The unenviable task of cleaning up after the party fell to the last person to leave."

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Antonyms & Contrasting Words (1)

Linguistic Origin & Historical Etymology

The word 'unenviable' is derived from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'enviable', which comes from the Latin 'invidiabilis', meaning 'to be envied'. The term evolved in English during the late 19th century to describe a state or condition that is not desirable or worthy of envy.

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