Unwanted
/ˌʌnˈwɒn.tɪd/noun
Not desired or welcomed.
Did you know?‘Unwanted’ is a transparent English formation, but its power comes from the ancient force of ‘want,’ which once meant not just desire but lack—so the word carries a built-in sense of absence.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*wen-
“to desire, strive for, wish”
Old English
OE
wanian
“to lessen, diminish”
Old Norse
ON
vanr
“lacking, wanting”
Middle English
ME
wanten
“to lack, be deficient; later, to desire”
Modern English
English
unwanted
“not wanted; not desired”