unedifying

English

Etymology

Etymology tree

Proto-Indo-European *né

Proto-Indo-European *n̥-

Proto-Germanic *un-

Proto-West Germanic *un-

Old English un-

Middle English un-

English un-

English edifying

English unedifying

From un- + edifying.

Adjective

unedifying (comparative more unedifying, superlative most unedifying)

1. Not edifying.
2. Ungraceful, usually due to a clash of expectations or disparity of knowledge.
   • 2023 July 4, Marina Hyde, “Who’s for political Bazball with Rishi? Voters? Tories? Anyone?”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian‎^[1], London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 October 2026:

     Sunday’s scenes were the kind of unedifying thing some of those aggressive members prefer to think only happens in all the sports on which they look down, or during prime minister’s questions.

Anagrams

• deunifying, undeifying