Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “unreliable” come from?

Unreliable derives from English reliable, which comes from Latin unus meaning "one," ultimately from Proto-Indo-European óynos and related roots including h₂ent-.

unreliable (English): Not reliable

Definitions

  1. Not reliable

Ancestry of “unreliable”, step by step

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

Words derived from “unreliable”

  • unreliably
  • unreliableness
Every word from Proto-Indo-European pr̥tós →