unproductive

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   not producing desired results

   The talks between labor and management were unproductive.

2. 2
   adj

   not producing or capable of producing

   Elimination of high-cost or unproductive industries.

3. 3
   adj

   Not productive; useless; fruitless.

   Juggling is an amusing pastime, but generally unproductive.

4. 4
   adj

   No longer used to produce new words (see examples).

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Late Latin prō- Proto-Indo-European *dewk- Proto-Indo-European *déwkti Proto-Italic *doukō Late Latin dūcō Late Latin prōdūcō Proto-Indo-European *-wósder. Late Latin -īvus Late Latin prōductīvusbor. English productive English unproductive From un- + productive.

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