poorly-used
|poor-ly-used|
B2
🇺🇸
/ˈpʊrli ˈjuːzd/
🇬🇧
/ˈpɔːli ˈjuːzd/
not well utilized
Etymology
Etymology Information
The word 'poorly-used' is a compound formed from 'poorly' (meaning 'in a poor manner') and 'used' (the past participle of 'use').
Historical Evolution
'Poorly' comes from Middle English 'porely', and 'used' is from Old French 'user', from Latin 'uti'. The compound 'poorly-used' is a modern English formation.
Meaning Changes
Initially, 'poorly' meant 'in a poor manner' and 'used' meant 'employed or utilized'. The compound now means 'not well utilized'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
used in a way that is not effective, appropriate, or correct; not well utilized.
The equipment in the lab is poorly-used and often left idle.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/07/26 23:58