Unowlish

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Lacking the round-eyed, solemn, bespectacled appearance associated with an owl
2. Not resembling an owl in looks or manner, particularly not appearing grave and wise
3. Having none of the owl's staring, serious air, and so seeming lively or unserious

Etymology: Unowlish is a rare adjective, formed in English by adding the prefix "un-" (meaning "not") to "owlish," the adjective from "owl." Owlish dates from the sixteenth century and originally described the bird's appearance or behavior, and by the 1800s it had come to mean looking solemn, wise, or serious, often through spectacles and with a grave air. Its opposite, unowlish, therefore describes someone who is not grave or solemn in this way: lively, carefree, or lacking the air of scholarly seriousness. The suffix "-ish" is an Old English ending meaning "of the nature of" or "somewhat like," which is why "owlish" reads as "like an owl." Adding "un-" to a descriptive adjective like this is a common English pattern, so the formation itself is straightforward. The word is uncommon in dictionaries and usage, but it follows the same logic as many other negated adjectives built on animal comparisons.