adjective
inhospitable
in-hah-SPIT-uh-bul/ˌɪnhɑːˈspɪtəbl/
Unwelcoming to those trying to live or remain there.
Snow and wind make this rocky slope inhospitable to life.
Etymology
The negative prefix reverses the welcome offered to guests. Applied to a place, that lack of welcome describes conditions difficult for people to inhabit or for life to survive in.
In context
no trees, no grass, no water, and nothing that could be fashioned into shelter. It was as inhospitable a place to land as there was on Earth.
More examples
- The salty soil is inhospitable to most garden plants.
- Without heat, the cabin becomes inhospitable during winter.
- Few animals survive in this inhospitable desert.
Forms
inhospitable · more inhospitable · most inhospitable
Similar words
- harsh
- Emphasizes severe conditions rather than whether a place supports life.
- uninhabitable
- Means impossible to live in, not merely difficult or unpleasant.