Standard Lemma guide

untimely

adj · adv · 6 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

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ʌnˈtaɪmli/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: AH0 N T AY1 M L IY0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

At an inopportune time.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • untimely remarks

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: inopportune

Antonyms: timely, opportune, on time, to time, in time, prompt, punctual, seasonable

2

adj

Meaning 2

Early; premature.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • an untimely death

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: early, premature, anticipatory, forward, hasty, precipitate, precocious, prevenient, previous, unseasonable, untimely

Antonyms: late, tardy, backward, behindhand, belated, lated, overdue

3

adv

Meaning 3

Prematurely.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

uncommonly early or before the expected time

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • illness led to his premature death
  • alcohol brought him to an untimely end

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: premature

Antonyms: none provided

5

adjective satellite

Meaning 5

badly timed

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • an ill-timed intervention
  • you think my intrusion unseasonable
  • an untimely remark
  • it was the wrong moment for a joke

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: ill-timed, unseasonable, wrong

Antonyms: none provided

6

adverb

Meaning 6

too soon; in a premature manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • I spoke prematurely

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: prematurely

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English untymely (also earlier untimliche), equivalent to un- + timely. First attested in the early 13th century. Compare Middle Danish utimelig, Old English untídlic (“unseasonable”).

Across languages

Translations

41 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: ненавременен (nenavremenen) — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Catalan: intempestiu — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Estonian: ajakohatu — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Finnish: huonosti ajoitettu — taking place at an inopportune time
  • French: intempestif — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Galician: intempestivo — taking place at an inopportune time
  • German: unpassend — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Greek: ανεπίκαιρος (anepíkairos) — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Ancient Greek: ἄωρος (áōros) — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Irish: antráthach — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Italian: inopportuno — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Italian: intempestivo — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Italian: inatteso — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Italian: improvviso — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Kazakh: мезгілсіз (mezgılsız) — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Latin: intempestus — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Polish: nie w porę — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Portuguese: intempestivo — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Swedish: oläglig — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Welsh: anamserol — taking place at an inopportune time
  • Bulgarian: преждевре́менен (preždevrémenen) — early; premature
  • Czech: předčasný — early; premature
  • Estonian: enneaegne — early; premature
  • Finnish: ennenaikainen — early; premature
  • French: vert — early; premature
  • German: vorzeitig — early; premature
  • German: verfrüht — early; premature
  • German: frühzeitig — early; premature
  • German: viel zu früh — early; premature
  • Ingrian: ennenaikain — early; premature
  • Italian: prematuro — early; premature
  • Italian: inaspettato — early; premature
  • Italian: inopportuno — early; premature
  • Italian: precipitoso — early; premature
  • Latin: praecox — early; premature
  • Polish: przedwczesny — early; premature
  • Russian: преждевре́менный (preždevrémennyj) — early; premature
  • Russian: несвоевре́менный (nesvojevrémennyj) — early; premature
  • Welsh: annhymhoraidd — early; premature
  • Welsh: cynamserol — early; premature
  • Gothic: 𐌿𐌽𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍉 (unuhteigō) — prematurely