unskillful

[uhn-skil-fuhl]

not skillful; clumsy or bungling.

Also especially British, un·skil·ful.

Origin of unskillful

1350–1400; 1555–65 for current sense; Middle English unskylful unreasonable. See un-¹, skillful

Related formsun·skill·ful·ly, adverbun·skill·ful·ness, noun

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

In short, the conservatives were unfortunate, because they were unskillful and imprudent.
History of the Jews, Vol. V (of 6)
Heinrich Graetz
Phil, however, feared to trust the violin in unskillful hands.
Phil the Fiddler
Horatio Alger, Jr.
The little man had such trouble to shape his unskillful lips to the words.
Timar's Two Worlds
Mr Jkai
As a playwright he was, in fact, usually imitative and often unskillful.
Tragedy
Ashley H. Thorndike
This prince was, in truth, the most unskillful archer in his whole kingdom.
Voltaire's Romances
Franois-Marie Arouet

Word Origin and History for unskillful

adj.

late 14c., "foolish," from un- (1) "not" + skillful. Meaning "inexpert" is from 1560s. Related: Unskillfully.