Meanings
noununderproductivity (uncountable)
- uncountableThe quality of being underproductive.
Philosophical and biological questions aside, mental illnesses cost billions in health care costs, disability benefits, economic underproductivity, the criminal justice system and foster care, among others.
2008 April 2, “Equal Time for Mental Health Care”, in New York Times
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
- Proto-Indo-European*h₁entér
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂én
- Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-?
- Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰí
- Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰér
- Proto-Germanic*under
- Proto-West Germanic*undar
- Old Englishunder-
- Middle Englishunder-
- Englishunder-
- Proto-Indo-European*per-der.?
- Proto-Indo-European*pér
- Proto-Indo-European*pró
- Proto-Indo-European*pro-
- Proto-Italic*pro-
- Latinprō-
- Proto-Indo-European*dewk-
- Proto-Indo-European*déwkti
- Proto-Italic*doukō
- Latindūcō
- Latinprōdūcō
- Late Latinprōductīvus
- Englishproductive
- Englishproductivity
- Englishunderproductivity
From under- + productivity.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
APA
underproductivity. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underproductivity
MLA
“underproductivity.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underproductivity. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “underproductivity,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/underproductivity.
Source: underproductivity on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.