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ungainly
[ uhn-geyn-lee ]
/ ʌnˈgeɪn li /
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This shows grade level based on the word's complexity.
adjective, un·gain·li·er, un·gain·li·est.
not graceful; awkward; unwieldy; clumsy: an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.
adverb
in an awkward manner.
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Origin of ungainly
1150–1200; (adv.) Middle English ungeinliche, equivalent to un-un-1 + later Middle English geyn straight, well-disposed, handy (<Old Norse gegn straight, direct; compare Old Norse ūgegn unreasonable) + -liche-ly; (adj.) un-1 + obsolete gainly proper, becoming, gracious, Middle English gaynlych (geyn as above + -lych-ly); cf. gainly, again
OTHER WORDS FROM ungainly
un·gain·li·ness, nounWords nearby ungainly
unfunny, unfurl, unfurnished, unfussy, ung., ungainly, Ungaretti, Ungava, Ungava Bay, Ungava Peninsula, ungenerous
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
How to use ungainly in a sentence
British Dictionary definitions for ungainly
ungainly
/ (ʌnˈɡeɪnlɪ) /
adjective -lier or -liest
lacking grace when moving
difficult to move or use; unwieldy
rare crude or coarse
adverb
rare clumsily
Derived forms of ungainly
ungainliness, nounWord Origin for ungainly
C17: from un- 1 + obsolete or dialect gainly graceful
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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