Ungainlier: meaning, definitions and examples

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ungainlier

 

[ ʌnˈɡeɪnliər ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

physical awkwardness

Ungainlier is a comparative form of the adjective 'ungainly', which describes something that is awkward or clumsy in movement or shape. It often refers to a physical form that lacks grace or is difficult to handle. This term can be applied to a variety of subjects, including animals, humans, or objects that do not move or exist in a fluid manner. It's used to compare the degree of awkwardness between two or more entities, where one is noticeably more awkward than the other.

Synonyms

awkward, clumsy, graceless

Examples of usage

  • The ungainlier swimmer struggled in the water.
  • His ungainlier style of dancing attracted attention.
  • The ungainlier design of the container made it hard to use.

Translations

Translations of the word "ungainlier" in other languages:

🇵🇹 menos ágil

🇮🇳 कम आकर्षक

🇩🇪 weniger ansprechend

🇮🇩 kurang menarik

🇺🇦 менш привабливий

🇵🇱 mniej atrakcyjny

🇯🇵 魅力がない

🇫🇷 moins attrayant

🇪🇸 menos atractivo

🇹🇷 daha az çekici

🇰🇷 덜 매력적인

🇸🇦 أقل جاذبية

🇨🇿 méně atraktivní

🇸🇰 mene atraktívny

🇨🇳 不那么吸引人

🇸🇮 manj privlačen

🇮🇸 minna aðlaðandi

🇰🇿 азғырушы емес

🇬🇪 ნაკლებად მიმზიდველი

🇦🇿 daha az cəlbedici

🇲🇽 menos atractivo

Word origin

The word 'ungainlier' is derived from the base word 'gainly', which itself has roots in Middle English and is related to 'gain', meaning graceful or pleasing in appearance. The prefix 'un-' negates the word, thus creating 'ungainly', which conveys a sense of awkwardness or lack of grace. Over time, as English evolved, the comparative form 'ungainlier' emerged to allow speakers to compare the awkwardness between different subjects. The development of this comparative form maintains the original connotation of clumsiness while adding a functional linguistic element to denote variations in this trait. 'Ungainly' was first recorded in the 14th century, and its comparative, 'ungainlier', followed, giving speakers a way to articulate degrees of awkwardness that were otherwise less specific.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #43,784, this word is among the least frequently used in common English. Understanding it can be beneficial for comprehensive language mastery, but it's not essential for most learners.