Unsuitableness

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The state of being inadequate or not fitting for a designated use or role; the quality of lacking the necessary attributes to meet specific expectations or standards; a condition marked by an absence of compatibility or appropriateness for a given requirement
2. A condition where something fails to meet the essential needs or criteria for its intended function
3. The characteristic of not having the proper qualities to fulfill a particular task or position

Etymology: Unsuitableness is a plain English construction: the adjective "unsuitable" with the noun-forming suffix "-ness" attached. Its meaning rests on a chain of older pieces, each of which carried its own sense before being fused together. The core of the word is "suit," which traces back through Old French "siute" and Anglo-Norman "suite," meaning "following" or "pursuit," from Latin "sequi," to follow. That sense of following or matching what is expected is what gives "suitable" its idea of fitting a purpose or person. The suffix "-able," borrowed from Latin "-abilis" and passing through Old French, was added to form "suitable," meaning able to be fitted or matched. The prefix "un-" is an ancient native English negation, inherited from Germanic and present in Old English. Finally, "-ness," from Old English "-nes," turns the adjective into a noun naming a state or quality.

Synonyms: inappropriateness, unfitness, unacceptability, impropriety, unsuitability

Antonyms: suitability, fitness, appropriateness, acceptability, correctness