unactive

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-

Proto-Indo-European *h₂eǵ-

Proto-Indo-European *-eti

Proto-Indo-European *h₂éǵeti

Proto-Italic *agō

Latin agō

Proto-Indo-European *-wós

Proto-Indo-European *-iHwósder.

Latin -īvus

▲

Ancient Greek ἐνεργητῐκός (energētĭkós)sl.

Latin āctīvusbor.

Old French actifbor.

Middle English actyf

English active

English unactive

From un- + active. Piecewise doublet of inactive.

Adjective

unactive (comparative more unactive, superlative most unactive)

1. Not active; inactive.
   • 1667, John Milton, “Book IV”, in Paradise Lost, lines 618–622:

     Man hath his daily work of body or mind
     Appointed, which declares his dignity,
     And the regard of heav'n on all his ways;
     While other animals unactive range,
     And of their doings God takes no account.

Synonyms

• abeyant, dormant, latent; see also Thesaurus:inactive

Derived terms

• unactively
• unactiveness
• unactivity