Unwelcome

/ʌnˈwɛlkəm/ adjective

Definition

Not wanted or desired; making someone feel that they are not accepted or appreciated in a place or situation.

Etymology

From the prefix 'un-' (not) + 'welcome' (from Old English 'wilcuma,' meaning a desired guest). The construction is straightforward—it simply negates the state of being welcome, which emerged in English by the 1500s.

Kelly Says

The prefix 'un-' is one of the most powerful tools in English—you can attach it to hundreds of words to flip their meaning instantly, which is why English speakers are such creative language-hackers compared to languages with stricter grammar rules.

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