unearthly
|un/earth/ly|
B2
🇺🇸
/ʌnˈɜrθli/
🇬🇧
/ʌnˈɜːθli/
not of this world
Etymology
Etymology Information
'unearthly' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'earthly' meaning 'of this world'.
Historical Evolution
'unearthly' evolved from the Old English word 'eorðlic', which meant 'earthly', with the prefix 'un-' added to denote the opposite.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'not of this world', and over time it evolved to also mean 'strange or frightening'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adjective 1
strange and frightening; not of this world.
The unearthly glow of the moon cast eerie shadows.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 2
unreasonably early or inconveniently timed.
We had to wake up at an unearthly hour to catch the flight.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/01/11 11:45