Standard Lemma guide

unprepossessing

adj · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adjective satellite

Meaning 2

creating an unfavorable or neutral first impression

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: unpresentable

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- English prepossessing English unprepossessing From un- + prepossessing.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Dutch: saai — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • Dutch: onopmerkelijk — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • Dutch: ordinair — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • French: monotone — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • French: banal — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • French: ordinaire — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • French: médiocre — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • Irish: míghnaíúil — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • Ukrainian: непоказний (nepokaznyj) — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • Ukrainian: непривабливий (nepryvablyvyj) — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
  • Ukrainian: не справляти враження (ne spravljaty vražennja) — unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
Real reading context

unprepossessing in complete knowledge articles