Unwise
adjectiveShowing a lack of good judgement; foolish or imprudent.
How to spell unwise
6 letters · 2 syllables
How to pronounce unwise
Say the part in capitals loudest.
What does unwise mean?
- adjectiveShowing a lack of good judgement; foolish or imprudent.
Unwise in a sentence
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It would be unwise to invest your entire savings in one company.
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Signing the contract without reading it was an unwise decision.
Where does unwise come from?
Language of origin: Germanic
This is a thoroughly native English word, built from two Old English elements that have changed little over a thousand years. The root is 'wise', from Old English 'wis', meaning having sound judgement or deep knowledge, which traces back to a Germanic source related to the idea of 'seeing' and so 'knowing'. The prefix 'un-' is the common Old English negative particle, simply meaning 'not', and it attaches freely to adjectives to reverse their sense. Joined together, 'unwise' has meant 'lacking good judgement' or 'foolish' since the medieval period. Because both parts are familiar everyday English, the spelling is transparent: 'un' plus 'wise' with no hidden letters or doubled consonants, though writers sometimes hesitate over whether to hyphenate it, which standard usage does not.
How the word is built
- un- (not)
- wise (having or showing good judgement)
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