Infelicitous
/ˌɪnfəˈlɪsɪtəs/noun
Unfortunate, inappropriate, or not well chosen in a given context.
Did you know?The word ultimately comes from Latin *felix*, meaning “lucky” or “fruitful,” so *infelicitous* literally carries the shadow of lost fortune rather than a hidden curse.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*dheh₁-
“to put, place, make”
Latin
Latin
felix
“fruitful, fertile, lucky, successful”
Late Latin
Latin
infelix
“unlucky, unfruitful, unhappy”
Middle French
Old French
infelicite
“unhappiness, misfortune”
14th–15th Century
English
infelicitous
“unfortunate, inauspicious, not happy or suitable”
Modern English
English
infelicitous
“inappropriate, awkward, or unfortunately chosen”