unproductive
|un-pro-duc-tive|
B2
/ˌʌnprəˈdʌktɪv/
ineffective
Etymology
Etymology Information
'unproductive' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and the word 'productive' from Latin 'productivus', where 'pro-' meant 'forward' and 'ducere' meant 'to lead'.
Historical Evolution
'productivus' transformed into the French word 'productif', and eventually became the modern English word 'productive', with 'un-' added to form 'unproductive'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'not leading forward', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'not producing effectively'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
not producing or able to produce large amounts of goods, crops, or other commodities.
The meeting was unproductive and a waste of time.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:40