infelicitous

American  

[in-fuh-lis-i-tuhs] / ˌɪn fəˈlɪs ɪ təs /

adjective

1. inapt, inappropriate, or awkward; malapropos.

   an infelicitous remark.

2. not felicitous, happy, or fortunate; unhappy.

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Other Word Forms

• infelicitously adverb

Etymology

Origin of infelicitous

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

Example Sentences

It struck me as infelicitous at best that Aster’s “hero” should be “subjected” to the very sort of inner-city crime fantasy that so often misrepresents urban life in American pop culture.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 19, 2023

However infelicitous the wording, he was making the point that the city’s broader economic infrastructure depended on white-collar workers showing up to support the satellite businesses of commercial districts.

From New York Times • Jan. 7, 2022

The Times quoted him as describing his experience of applying for the role as an "infelicitous dalliance" with "the Blob" - a term sometimes used to refer to the Whitehall establishment.

From BBC • Nov. 19, 2021

Some of that pushback can probably be chalked up to the infelicitous way Netflix made the announcement—over Twitter, using that chummy brand voice that implies corporations have feelings to offer a “just business” justification.

From Slate • Mar. 18, 2019

The copy editor for the series, our last line of defense against the stupid mistake or infelicitous phrase, was Joe Rogers.

From "Class Matters" by The New York Times