inelegant

I1N1E1L1E1G2A1N1T1
/ɪnˈɛlɪɡənt/

adjective

Not elegant; not exhibiting neatness, refinement, or precision.

Similar
démodépasséunchicclumsygracelesshaphazardgaucheunpolished
Opposite
elegant
OriginMiddle French inélégant ← Latin inēlegāns →
UncommonScrabble 10
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Word of the Day · Dec 6, 2024

Meanings

adjectiveinelegant (comparative more inelegant, superlative most inelegant)

comparative more inelegant · superlative most inelegant · alternative unelegant

  1. Not elegant; not exhibiting neatness, refinement, or precision.

    There was still time amid the drama for Ashley Cole to almost mark his 97th cap with a goal but the erratic Pyatov made a fine recovery save after another inelegant attempt to deal with a cross.

    2012 June 19, Phil McNulty, “England 1-0 Ukraine”, in BBC Sport

    Synonyms: démodé, passé, unchic, clumsy, graceless, haphazard

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveNot elegant; not exhibiting neatness, refinement, or precision.

Similar
démodépasséunchicclumsygracelesshaphazard

More synonyms by meaning

adjectivelacking in refinement or grace or good taste

Similar
gauchegracelessunpolishedhomely
Opposite
elegant
Also see
badcoarsedémodégauchegracelesshomelyold hatoutmodedrinky-dinkunfashionableunhipunpolished

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Latininēlegāns
  2. Middle Frenchinélégant
  3. Englishinelegant

From Middle French inélégant, from Latin inēlegāns; equivalent to in- + elegant.

More words from Middle French, Latin

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan inelegant
  • inelegantnot elegant
Czech neelegantní
  • neelegantnínot elegant
Esperanto nedelikata, plumpa
  • nedelikatanot elegant
  • plumpanot elegant
Finnish epäaistikas, epäelegantti
  • epäaistikasnot elegant
  • epäeleganttinot elegant
  • tyylitönnot elegant
French inélégant
  • inélégantnot elegant
Italian inelegante
  • inelegantenot elegant
Japanese 品がない
  • 品がない (shinganai)not elegant
Latin incōmptus, inēlegāns
  • incōmptusnot elegant
  • inēlegānsnot elegant
Norwegian uelegant
  • uelegantnot elegant
Portuguese deselegante, inelegante
  • deselegantenot elegant
  • inelegantenot elegant
Romanian inelegant
  • inelegantnot elegant
Scottish Gaelic mì-innealta
  • mì-innealtanot elegant
Spanish inelegante
  • inelegantenot elegant

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

eglantineelegantinGalentine
Cite this entry
APA

inelegant. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inelegant

MLA

“inelegant.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inelegant. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “inelegant,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/inelegant.

Source: inelegant on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.