Unfit
/ʌnˈfɪt/noun
Not suitable, healthy, or competent for a particular purpose or role.
Did you know?“Unfit” is built from Old English *fit* in the sense of being suited or prepared, while the prefix *un-* flips it into a blunt judgment of mismatch, inadequacy, or incapacity.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
un- + fitt
“A negative prefix attached to a word related to being suitable or prepared”
Middle English
ME
unfitten
“To make unsuitable; not adapted”
Early Modern English
English
unfit
“Unsuitable, not proper, or not in good condition”
Modern English
English
unfit
“Not suitable, healthy, or competent for a particular purpose or role”