unrepresentatively
|un-re-pre-sen-ta-tive-ly|
/ˌʌnrɛprɪˈzɛntətɪvli/
(unrepresentative)
not representative
Etymology
'unrepresentatively' originates from English, formed from the negative prefix 'un-' (Old English) and the adjective 'representative', which ultimately derives from Latin 'repraesentare' (via Medieval Latin and Old French), where 'repraesentare' meant 'to show again, to present'.
'unrepresentatively' developed from the adjective 'representative' (Middle English/Old French 'representatif' from Medieval Latin 'repraesentativus' and Latin 'repraesentare'); the adverbial suffix '-ly' was added in Modern English to form 'representatively', and the negative prefix 'un-' produced 'unrepresentatively'.
Initially the Latin root 'repraesentare' meant 'to present or show (again)'; over time the sense shifted toward 'to stand for, to serve as a specimen or example,' and 'representative' gained the sense 'typical' or 'serving as an example'; 'unrepresentatively' now means 'in a way that does not serve as a typical example or is not reflective of the whole.'
Meanings by Part of Speech
Adverb 1
in a manner that is not representative; in a way that does not accurately reflect the typical characteristics or makeup of a larger group or whole.
The survey results were unrepresentatively skewed toward younger voters because the sample excluded many older households.
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Adverb 2
adverbial form of 'unrepresentative' (i.e., 'in a way that is unrepresentative').
Because only a few neighborhoods were sampled, the study reported unrepresentatively low crime rates.
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Last updated: 2026/01/09 17:53