Unsightful

Part of speech: adjective

Definitions

1. Unpleasant or ugly to the eye, such as a damaged or neglected object or place
2. Displeasing in appearance and hard to look upon with any pleasure
3. Marred in appearance, so that it offends the sight and seems unattractive

Etymology: "Unsightful" is a plain built-up form: the prefix "un-" meaning "not," the noun "sight," and the suffix "-ful," which turns a noun into an adjective meaning "full of" or "having the quality of," as in "hopeful" or "fearful." Its sense is close to "unsightly," something unpleasant to look at. English has long paired "sight" with adjectives about appearance, and "sightly," meaning "pleasing to the eye," is an older relative of the word. Because the word is formed from ordinary English parts rather than borrowed, its meaning follows directly from them, and its rarity reflects that most speakers reach for "unsightly" instead.