Etymology

ungainly

un·gain·ly
U1N1G2A1I1N1L1Y4

Today it means: Clumsy; lacking grace. Full definition →

Old Norse gegn
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ungainly · adjective, noun1

  1. Old Norse · derived fromgegn“fit, serviceable; direct, straight; honest; kindly”
  2. English todayungainly

From un- (“not”) + gainly (“graceful; becoming; proper, suitable; gracious, kindly”) (from gain (“dexterous; convenient, easy, handy; suitable”), from Old Norse gegn (“fit, serviceable; direct, straight; honest; kindly”) + -ly (suffix forming adjectives from nouns)). Compare dialectal Norwegian Nynorsk ugjegnleg (“stubborn; troublesome”).

ungainly · adverb2

ungain (from un- + gain (“dexterous; convenient, easy, handy; suitable”)) + -ly.

Words from the same roots

Old Norsegegn all →

gain

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.