Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unkind” come from?

Unkind is the English negation of kind, which derives from Latin unus meaning "one," tracing back through Proto-Indo-European óynos and ultimately to the root h₂ent-.

unkind (English): Lacking kindness, sympathy, benevolence,...

Definitions

  1. Lacking kindness, sympathy, benevolence,...

Ancestry of “unkind”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Englishunkynde—

Words derived from “unkind”

  • unkindly
  • unkindness
  • unkindliness
Every word from Middle English unkynde →