ill-looking
|ill-look-ing|
/ˈɪlˌlʊkɪŋ/
appearing sick or unhealthy
Etymology
'ill-looking' originates from English compounds: 'ill' (from Old English 'yfel') where 'yfel' meant 'bad, evil' and 'look' (from Old English 'lōcian') where 'lōcian' meant 'to look, to seem'.
'ill' comes from Old English 'yfel' and over time came to mean 'bad' or 'sick'; 'look' comes from Old English 'lōcian' meaning 'to look or appear'. The compound adjective 'ill-looking' developed in Modern English by combining these elements to describe appearance.
Initially, components referred separately to 'bad' and 'to look/appear'; over time the compound came to specifically mean 'appearing sickly or unhealthy.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
appearing sickly, unhealthy, pale, or generally unattractive in appearance.
The ill-looking child was taken to the clinic for a checkup.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/12/27 02:07