unbalanced

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ʌnˈbælənst/ UK /ʌnˈbælənst/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
not in equilibrium; or mentally disturbed

The lopsided load left the cart unbalanced and prone to tipping.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · not in equilibrium; or... unsteadylopsideduneven unstable disturbed derangedasymmetric

Opposites

balanced stable steady level

Word family

Related forms balance balanced imbalance

Etymology

From un- ('not') + balanced, from balance, from Old French balance, from Late Latin bilancia, from Latin bilanx ('having two scale-pans'), from bi- ('two') + lanx ('plate, scale').

un- Old English bilanx Latin lanx Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# unbalanced

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** adj
**IPA (US):** /ʌnˈbælənst/
**IPA (UK):** /ʌnˈbælənst/

## Meanings
1. not in equilibrium; or mentally disturbed

## Examples
- The lopsided load left the cart unbalanced and prone to tipping.

## Synonyms
- unsteady
- lopsided
- uneven
- unstable
- disturbed
- deranged
- asymmetric

## Antonyms
- balanced
- stable
- steady
- level

## Related Forms
- balance
- balanced
- imbalance

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: un-
- Root: bilanx
- Root: lanx

## Etymology
From un- ('not') + balanced, from balance, from Old French balance, from Late Latin bilancia, from Latin bilanx ('having two scale-pans'), from bi- ('two') + lanx ('plate, scale').

## AI Etymology
Unbalanced is from un- ('not') + balanced, from balance, from Old French balance, from Late Latin bilancia, from Latin bilanx ('having two scale-pans'), from bi- ('two') + lanx ('plate, scale'). Important recorded forms include un- (Old English), bilanx (Latin), and lanx (Latin). Morphologically, the un- element marks negation, reversal, removal, or deprivation, while the base supplies the action, quality, or state being denied or undone. The modern sense is largely compositional, with the historical elements narrowing into a stable English lexical item. In current use it covers not in equilibrium; or mentally disturbed. The wider family includes related words such as balance, balanced, and imbalance.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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