unprepossessing
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English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From un- + prepossessing.
Adjective
[edit]unprepossessing (comparative more unprepossessing, superlative most unprepossessing)
- Unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
- 1838, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Sylph Etherege:
- One of these unseen observers, a gentleman, was youthful, and had an air of high breeding and refinement, and a face marked with intellect, though otherwise of unprepossessing aspect.
- 1902, Myrtle Reed, chapter 4, in At the Sign of the Jack O'Lantern:
- She drew up a chamois-skin bag, of an unprepossessing mouse colour, and emptied out a roll of bills.
- 1960 December, “The Hastings Line diesel-electric multiple units”, in Trains Illustrated, page 732:
- In a review of operating experience with the Southern Region diesel-electric multiple-units on the Hastings line, read to the Institution of Locomotive Engineers in October, Mr. W. J. A. Sykes, Mechanical & Electrical Engineer of the S.R., revealed how the somehat unprepossessing appearance of these train sets came about.
- 2017 January 12, Andy Webster, “Movie Review: Horses Under the Hood?”, in New York Times, retrieved 15 January 2017:
- Sometimes movies with the most unprepossessing titles can surprise you. Case in point: “Monster Trucks,” a spry, spirited and delightful family film.
Derived terms
[edit]Translations
[edit]unimpressive or unremarkable; dull and ordinary; nondescript.
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References
[edit]- “unprepossessing”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.