Unappoint

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To remove a previously designated appointment or position from someone
2. to retract an official designation that has been made
3. to cancel a selection for a role or responsibility after it has been assigned

Etymology: The prefix "un-" in English often serves as a negation or reversal, indicating the undoing or opposite of an action. In this case, it is attached to the verb "appoint," which means to assign a position or task to someone. The verb in question thus suggests the action of reversing or canceling an appointment or assignment. "Appoint" itself entered English from Old French "apointer," derived from Latin "appunctare," meaning "to bring to a point" or "to arrange." Originally, "appoint" carried the sense of fixing a time or place, as well as designating someone to a role or duty. The addition of "un-" creates a verb that logically means to revoke that designation or arrangement. This construction fits neatly into English’s pattern of verbal negations, where "un-" is commonly prefixed to verbs to indicate undoing an action, such as "untie" or "unfold." However, "unappoint" is relatively rare and somewhat formal or technical, often found in legal or administrative contexts where an appointment might be officially rescinded. The formation of this verb likely dates to the early modern period or later, when English increasingly used "un-" to create verbs that express reversal. While "appoint" has been in English since the Middle Ages, the negative counterpart is less common and more specialized, reflecting shifts in bureaucratic and organizational language over time.

Synonyms: dismiss, remove, discharge, depose, oust

Antonyms: appoint, hire, employ, assign, nominate