Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unreliability” come from?

Unreliability derives from English reliable, which combines English un- and Latin -itas suffixed to Proto-Indo-European ano-, meaning "not" or "without."

unreliability (English): The quality of being unreliable

Definitions

  1. The quality of being unreliable

Ancestry of “unreliability”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishreliabilityThe quality of being reliable, dependable, or...
2EnglishreliableSuitable or fit to be relied on; worthy of...
3Englishrelyto trust; to have confidence in; to depend
4Old Frenchrelierfasten, attach, rally, oblige
5Latinreligō—
6Latinrĕ-—
7Latinprōdūcō—
8Latinprō-—
9Proto-Italic*pro-—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanpro-toward, forward
11Proto-Indo-Europeanpor-to give birth; forward, through; going, passage
12Proto-Indo-Europeanper-before, in front; first; to go through
13Proto-Indo-Europeanpr̥tóspassed , crossed
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →