underqualified

U1N1D2E1R1Q10U1A1L1I1F4I1E1D2

adjective

Lacking the suitable qualifications for a particular job.

Opposite
overqualified
OriginEnglish qualified ← Middle English under- ← Old English under- →
RareScrabble 28
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Meanings

adjectiveunderqualified (comparative more underqualified, superlative most underqualified)

comparative more underqualified · superlative most underqualified

  1. Lacking the suitable qualifications for a particular job.

    Antonyms: overqualified

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectiveLacking the suitable qualifications for a particular job.

Opposite
overqualified
Also see
subqualified

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₁entér
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂én
  4. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-?
  5. Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰí
  6. Proto-Indo-European*(H)n̥dʰér
  7. Proto-Germanic*under
  8. Proto-West Germanic*undar
  9. Old Englishunder-
  10. Middle Englishunder-
  11. Englishunder-
  12. Englishqualified
  13. Englishunderqualified

From under- + qualified.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish ei tarpeeksi pätevä, alipätevä
  • ei tarpeeksi päteväTranslations
  • alipäteväTranslations
French sous-qualifié
  • sous-qualifiéTranslations
German unterqualifiziert
  • unterqualifiziertTranslations
Polish za mało wykwalifikowany
  • za mało wykwalifikowanyTranslations
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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