Unloving

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Displaying an absence of tenderness or caring for others
2. Showing no signs of affection or emotional warmth towards others
3. Demonstrating an absence of kindness or gentle care in relationships

Etymology: "Unloving" is a plain formation: the prefix "un-", meaning "not", attached to "loving," the adjective from "love." The prefix comes down from Proto-Germanic "*un-", the same negating element found in "unhappy," "untrue" and "unwise," and it passed through Old English and Middle English before reaching the modern word. Because the prefix was productive throughout the history of English, speakers could attach it to almost any adjective, so "unloving" could be built freshly whenever it was needed. The meaning is simply the negation of "loving," describing someone who shows no affection, warmth or tenderness toward others. The word makes no leap in sense; it is a transparent compound that has kept its literal meaning from its earliest use.

Synonyms: cold, indifferent, unaffectionate

Antonyms: loving, affectionate