DictionaryRoot: un-
English
un-
not
Forms
- un-
Origin
From Old English un-, an inherited Germanic negative prefix.
Note
The un- that means “not” has a different history from the un- used to reverse an action, though their uses can overlap.
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adjective
unhappy
Sad or dissatisfied.
Etymology
Happy developed from having good fortune to feeling contented. Unhappy negates that contentment, describing sadness or dissatisfaction.