unaccomplished

American  

[uhn-uh-kom-plisht] / ˌʌn əˈkɒm plɪʃt /

adjective

1. not accomplished; incomplete or not carried out.

   Many tasks remain unaccomplished.

2. without accomplishments; inexpert.

   an unaccomplished musician.

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unaccomplished British  

/ ˌʌnəˈkɒmplɪʃt /

adjective

1. not accomplished or finished

2. lacking accomplishments

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Etymology

Origin of unaccomplished

First recorded in 1515–25; un- ¹ + accomplished

Explanation

Someone who's unaccomplished isn't particularly skillful — at least, not yet. An unaccomplished nine-year-old trombone player may eventually become a virtuoso! If you describe yourself as unaccomplished, you probably mean you haven't achieved your goals in a certain area. Being an unaccomplished poet can be pretty frustrating, especially if you dream of being the next Emily Dickinson. Someone who's more generally unaccomplished might just be a little awkward or clumsy. Both meanings come from the word's original sense, "not finished, or incomplete," and its Latin root, acomplir, "to fulfill or complete."

Example Sentences

Unaccomplished, un-ak-kum′plisht, adj. unfinished: lacking accomplishments or acquirements.—n.

From Chambers's Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements) by Various

Related Words

• deficient
• fragmentary
• inadequate
• insufficient
• lacking
• partial
• sketchy