Underfavor

Part of speech: verb, noun

Definitions

1. The state of being without favor or support from others
2. A condition marked by receiving little approval or acceptance
3. Experiencing a lack of approval or positive regard from someone

Etymology: Underfavor combines "under," from Old English "under," meaning beneath or lower in position, with "favor," from Latin "favor," meaning goodwill or partiality. Latin "favor" passed into English through Old French "favour." Put together, the compound pictures someone sitting below another's goodwill, which matches the sense of lacking support from others. The compound follows the same pattern as older English pairings like "undertake" or "underlie," where "under" marks a position beneath something. Its parts are plain and transparent, so it reads as a descriptive formation rather than a term with a dramatic origin story. Because the word is less common than "disfavor," its exact date of first use in English is not something I can confirm.

Synonyms: disfavor, neglect, ignore

Antonyms: favor, prefer, support