Disinclined

Part of speech: adjective

Pronunciation: /dɪs.ɪŋˈklaɪnd/

Definitions

1. Exhibiting an absence of eagerness or motivation to take part in an endeavor
2. Displaying an unwillingness or lack of enthusiasm toward a specified activity or decision
3. Showing a lack of willingness or desire to engage in a particular activity

Etymology: "Disinclined" is a straightforward formation: the prefix "dis-", meaning "apart" or "not," attached to "inclined." The "dis-" comes from Latin, where it was used in the same sense, and it appears in English words such as "disagree" and "dislike." The adjective "inclined" traces back to Latin "inclinare," meaning "to bend toward," built from "in-" ("toward") and "clinare" ("to lean" or "to bend"). The root "clinare" is the same one that gives English "recline" and "decline." The image behind the word is physical. To be inclined was to lean or bend toward something, and "inclined" came to mean having a tendency or leaning of the mind toward a course of action. Adding "dis-" reverses that lean, so a disinclined person is one whose mind bends away from doing something.

Synonyms: reluctant, unwilling

Antonyms: willing, inclined