ungainly — awkward in movement or manner; lacking grace or elegance
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: awkward in movement or manner; lacking grace or elegance
Pronunciation (IPA): /ʌnˈɡeɪnli/
Example Sentences
- The baby giraffe's ungainly legs made its first steps look like a comedy show.
- Despite his ungainly appearance, he was surprisingly good at dancing.
- The ungainly robot kept bumping into walls during the demonstration.
ungainly
ADJECTIVE[/ʌnˈɡeɪnli/]
awkward in movement or manner; lacking grace or elegance
The ungainly giraffe wobbled awkwardly across the muddy watering hole.
Dancing ungainly, trying mainly, but vainly
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
From the prefix 'un-' (not) combined with 'gainly', which comes from Old Norse 'gegn' meaning suitable or convenient. The word emerged in English to describe something lacking grace or suitability of movement.
Breakdown
un- (not) + gainly (suitable, graceful, from Old Norse gegn) = ungainly (awkward, lacking grace)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The baby giraffe's ungainly legs made its first steps look like a comedy show.”
“Despite his ungainly appearance, he was surprisingly good at dancing.”
“The ungainly robot kept bumping into walls during the demonstration.”
“She felt ungainly in her high heels after wearing sneakers for months.”
📚Related Words
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