unsufferable

C2+ Topic:Describing Qualities

US /ʌnˈsʌfərəbəl/ UK /ʌnˈsʌfərəbəl/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

adj
unbearable; intolerable (archaic form of insufferable)

The heat in the attic was unsufferable by noon.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adj · unbearable; intolerable... insufferable unbearable intolerable unendurable insupportable

Opposites

bearable tolerable endurable

Word family

Derived forms unsufferably

Related forms suffer insufferable sufferable

Etymology

Archaic form of insufferable, from un- ('not') + sufferable, from suffer, from Old French sofrir, from Latin sufferre ('to bear, endure'), from sub- ('under') + ferre ('to bear').

un- Old English ferre Middle English

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Describing Qualities Word Formation & Derivatives Register & Style

External links

# unsufferable

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

## Meanings
1. unbearable; intolerable (archaic form of insufferable)

## Examples
- The heat in the attic was unsufferable by noon.

## Synonyms
- insufferable
- unbearable
- intolerable
- unendurable
- insupportable

## Antonyms
- bearable
- tolerable
- endurable

## Derived Forms
- unsufferably

## Related Forms
- suffer
- insufferable
- sufferable

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: un-
- Root: ferre

## Etymology
Archaic form of insufferable, from un- ('not') + sufferable, from suffer, from Old French sofrir, from Latin sufferre ('to bear, endure'), from sub- ('under') + ferre ('to bear').

## AI Etymology
Unsufferable is an archaic form of insufferable, from un- ('not') + sufferable, from suffer, from Old French sofrir, from Latin sufferre ('to bear, endure'), from sub- ('under') + ferre ('to bear'). In current use it is an adjective meaning "unbearable; intolerable (archaic form of insufferable)". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The prefix un- is negative or privative, marking the absence, denial, or opposite of the base idea. The surface form is compositional: its joined elements remain visible in the modern word. The historical chain includes Old English un- and Latin ferre. Related English forms include suffer, insufferable, and sufferable. A derived form is unsufferably. As a result, the modern word is best read as a negative, privative, or reversative formation built on a historically older base.

## Topics
- Describing Qualities
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- Register & Style

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