'unladylike' originates from the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'ladylike', which refers to the qualities or behaviors expected of a lady.

'unladylike' was formed by adding the prefix 'un-' to 'ladylike', a term used since the 16th century to describe behaviors befitting a lady.

Initially, it meant 'not like a lady', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.