The word "unsightly" is a common English adjective used to describe something unpleasant or ugly to look at. The IPA phonetic transcription for "unsightly" is /ʌnˈsaɪtli/. The first syllable is pronounced with a short "u" sound (ʌ), followed by an "n" consonant sound. The second syllable is pronounced with a long "i" sound (aɪ) and a "t" and "l" consonant sound. The third syllable is also pronounced with a long "i" sound (aɪ), followed by a "t" consonant sound and a final "li" syllable ending.
Unsightly is an adjective that is used to describe something that is unpleasant or displeasing to the eye, or that lacks visual attractiveness. This term is often used to characterize something that is considered visually unappealing, ugly, or offensive in appearance. It refers to things that may provoke repulsion, disgust, or discomfort due to their unattractive or undesirable features.
When something is deemed unsightly, it indicates that it does not possess qualities that are considered aesthetically pleasing or visually pleasing. This can refer to physical objects, such as dilapidated buildings or unkempt landscapes, or to abstract concepts, such as a messy room or a poorly designed website. For example, graffiti on historical landmarks is often seen as unsightly because it tarnishes their beauty and historical value.
Unsightly is a subjective term that can differ from person to person, as individual preferences and cultural backgrounds may influence one's perception of attractiveness. What one person may find ugly, another might consider beautiful. However, the term unsightly generally carries a negative connotation and indicates that something is visually unappealing or offensive to the majority of people who encounter it.
Overall, unsightly is a word used to describe things that are visually displeasing, unattractive, or offensive in appearance, often leading to feelings of repulsion or discomfort.
Disagreeable to the eye; deformed.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word unsightly comes from the combination of two words: un- and sightly.
1. Un- is a prefix in English derived from Old English and Germanic languages, meaning not or lacking. It is used to negate or reverse the meaning of the word it is attached to.
2. Sightly comes from the Middle English word sightli which means pleasing to the sight or beautiful. It is derived from the Old Norse word sátr, which means beautiful or attractive.
Therefore, the combination of un- and sightly creates unsightly, which means not pleasing to the sight, unattractive, or ugly.