Where does “unfortunate” come from?
Unfortunate derives from English misfortune combined with Latin fortuna (chance, fate) and Latin unus (one), tracing back through Proto-Indo-European óynos and ano- to the root bʰer- (to carry).
unfortunate (English): not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by...
Definitions
- not favored by fortune; marked or accompanied by...
Ancestry of “unfortunate”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | English | fortunate | Auspicious; Happening by good luck or favorable... |
| 2 | Latin | fortūnātus | — |
| 3 | Latin | fortuno | I make happy, prosper; I bless |
| 4 | Latin | fortūna | — |
| 5 | Latin | fōrs | — |
| 6 | Proto-Italic | fortis | — |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰértis | the act of carrying, bearing |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | bʰer- | to bear, carry |
Words derived from “unfortunate”