Mon, 12 Oct 2026 16:56:56 EDT
Ungainly
The adjective ungainly means clumsy, inelegant, or difficult to manage. Ungainly derives from the Middle English ungein, which was the negative of gein, which meant suitable or convenient.
Gein derives from the Old Norse gegn, which had a main meaning of against in the sense of opposing. The verb to gainsay preserves this meaning. The meaning of gein extended to toward and direct and eventually helpful.