ungainly

[ uhn-geyn-lee ]
/ ʌnˈgeɪn li /

adjective, un·gain·li·er, un·gain·li·est.

not graceful; awkward; unwieldy; clumsy: an ungainly child; an ungainly prose style.

adverb

in an awkward manner.

Origin of ungainly

1150–1200; (adv.) Middle English ungeinliche, equivalent to un- un-1 + later Middle English geyn straight, well-disposed, handy (< Old Norse gegn straight, direct; compare Old Norse ūgegn unreasonable) + -liche -ly; (adj.) un-1 + obsolete gainly proper, becoming, gracious, Middle English gaynlych ( geyn as above + -lych -ly); cf. gainly, again

OTHER WORDS FROM ungainly

un·gain·li·ness, noun

Example sentences from the Web for ungainly

British Dictionary definitions for ungainly

ungainly
/ (ʌnˈɡeɪnlɪ) /

adjective -lier or -liest

lacking grace when moving
difficult to move or use; unwieldy
rare crude or coarse

adverb

rare clumsily

Derived forms of ungainly

ungainliness, noun

Word Origin for ungainly

C17: from un- 1 + obsolete or dialect gainly graceful