Ungifted

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Lacking a natural talent, aptitude or special ability for something, so that skill does not come easily
2. Not endowed with innate gifts or a particular aptitude, and therefore unable to excel without considerable effort
3. Without a natural flair or inborn capacity for a task, art or subject, relying on hard work rather than talent

Etymology: "Ungifted" is a plain combination of the prefix "un-", meaning "not", and "gifted," the adjective. Its meaning follows directly from its parts: a person who lacks a particular talent or natural aptitude, or who has no special ability for something. The more interesting part is "gifted" itself. The "gift" in that word is an ordinary noun meaning something bestowed or a natural endowment, and the adjective grew from the sense of someone who has been given a talent by nature. "Ungifted" therefore reads almost as a negation of a gift rather than of a skill, which is why it often sounds a little more generous than "untalented" or "bad at".

Synonyms: untalented, talentless, unskilled

Antonyms: gifted, talented, skilled