infelicitous

[ in-fuh-lis-i-tuh s ]

/ ˌɪn fəˈlɪs ɪ təs /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR infelicitous ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

inapt, inappropriate, or awkward; malapropos: an infelicitous remark.

not felicitous, happy, or fortunate; unhappy.

RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of infelicitous

First recorded in 1825–35; in-³ + felicitous

Related formsin·fe·lic·i·tous·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for infelicitous

But viral advertising based on an infelicitous turn of phrase is not something Filexec is interested in, Chavez said.
‘Binders Full of Women’ Invades Amazon.com|Matthew DeLuca|October 18, 2012|DAILY BEAST
She had thought it very likely Robert Acton would come and see her; she had not met him since that infelicitous evening.
The Europeans|Henry James
The form of the Renaissance lantern is not infelicitous, either from the inside or outside.
Cathedrals of Spain|John A. (John Allyne) Gade
The information, coupled with the infelicitous word ‘proudly,’ caused Nicholas to flush with mortification.
A Changed Man and Other Tales|Thomas Hardy

The very penny chroniclers of the market acquire an infelicitous adroitness in the phraseology of deceit.
Ainslee's, Vol. 15, No. 6, July 1905|Various
Be that as it may, he often makes her serve as a symbol for material existence, obviously an infelicitous parallel.
William Blake|Irene Langridge

British Dictionary definitions for infelicitous

infelicitous

/ (ˌɪnfɪˈlɪsɪtəs) /

adjective

not felicitous; unfortunate

inappropriate or unsuitable

Derived Formsinfelicitously, adverb

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for infelicitous

infelicitous

adj.

1754, from in- (1) "not, opposite of" + felicitous. Related: infelicitously.