unwieldy
English
Alternative forms
- unwieldly (less common, possibly nonstandard)
Etymology
From Middle English unweldi, equivalent to un- + wieldy. Cognate with Middle Low German unweldich (“unwieldy”).
Pronunciation
- (UK) IPA(key): /ˌʌnˈwɪəl.di/
Audio (US) (file)
Adjective
unwieldy (comparative unwieldier, superlative unwieldiest)
- (obsolete) Lacking strength; weak.
- (obsolete) Ungraceful in movement.
- Difficult to carry, handle, manage or operate because of its size, weight, shape or complexity.
- 2017 February 9, Rob Long, “Why I won’t invest in anything that involves effort”, in The National (UAE):
- Recorded music came in unwieldy packages and odd shapes.
-
- Badly managed or operated.
- (Can we add an example for this sense?)
Derived terms
Translations
difficult to carry, handle, manage or operate
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References
- “unwieldy” in Douglas Harper, Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001–2019.
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