incongenial

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   unpleasant or unsuited to a person's character, tastes, or abilities

   She left the incongenial occupation to pursue work that matched her convictions.

2. 2
   adj

   incompatible with or unfavorable to the development of something

   The authoritarian climate was incongenial to independent political thought.

Formed from in-, 'not,' and congenial. Congenial comes from Latin congenialis, 'kindred' or 'of the same nature,' from con-, 'together,' and genius, a person's innate nature or spirit. Incongenial therefore describes what does not suit or harmonize with something.

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