incondite

American  

[in-kon-dit, -dahyt] / ɪnˈkɒn dɪt, -daɪt /

adjective

1. ill-constructed; unpolished.

   incondite prose.

2. crude; rough; unmannerly.

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incondite British  

/ -daɪt, ɪnˈkɒndɪt /

adjective

1. poorly constructed or composed

2. rough or crude

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Other Word Forms

• inconditely
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of incondite

First recorded in 1530–40; from Latin inconditus, equivalent to in- “un-” + conditus, past participle of condere “to put in, restore” ( con- “with, together” + -di- “to put, set” + -tus past participle suffix); see in- ³, con-

Explanation

The word incondite describes something that's unpolished or in a disorganized state — like a rough draft of an essay, before you've cleaned it up and made it flow more coherently. Derived from the Latin word inconditus ("not put together"), incondite describes works that lack order, rhythm, or refinement. While often used to critique rambling speech or clumsy prose, it can also describe anything raw and unfinished — like a crude shelter made of loosely piled stones and fallen branches. The word isn't always an insult: A historian might value an incondite journal that captures the raw, unedited reality of a moment, or the early, incondite works of a renowned artist or writer.