Untoward
/ˌʌn.təˈwɔːd/noun
Unfavorable, inappropriate, or difficult to deal with.
Did you know?Untoward began as a very literal directional word in Old English, and only later shifted into the idea of something being improper, troublesome, or unlucky.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
OE
un-tōweard
“not facing toward; away from”
Middle English
ME
untoward
“perverse, adverse, contrary”
16th Century
English
untoward
“awkward, troublesome, inconvenient”
Modern English
English
untoward
“unfavorable, inappropriate, or hard to manage”
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