infelicity

UK: /ˌɪnfɪˈlɪsɪtɪ/ US: /ˌɪnfəˈlɪsɪti/ ,(in′fə lis′i tē)

Inflections of 'infelicity' (n): npl: infelicities

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•fe•lic•i•ty  (in′fə lis′i tē), n., pl. -ties for 3, 5.

1. the quality or state of being unhappy;
   unhappiness.
2. misfortune;
   bad luck.
3. an unfortunate circumstance;
   misfortune.
4. inaptness, inappropriateness, or awkwardness, as of action or expression.
5. something inapt or infelicitous:
   infelicities of style.

• Latin infēlīcitās. See in-³, felicity
• Middle English infelicite 1350–1400

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

infelicity / ˌɪnfɪˈlɪsɪtɪ/ noun ( -ties)

1. the state or quality of being unhappy or unfortunate
2. an instance of bad luck or mischance; misfortune
3. something, esp a remark or expression, that is inapt or inappropriate

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•fe•lic•i•tous /ˌɪnfəˈlɪsɪtəs/   adj. 

1. not fitting or appropriate:
   an infelicitous remark about his weight.

in•fe•lic•i•ty /ˌɪnfəˈlɪsɪti/  n. [countable] , pl. -ties:

guilty of many infelicities during the interview.

[uncountable] writing that was marked by infelicity.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

in•fe•lic•i•tous  (in′fə lis′i təs), adj. 

1. inapt, inappropriate, or awkward;
   malapropos:
   an infelicitous remark.
2. not felicitous, happy, or fortunate;
   unhappy.

• in-³ + felicitous 1825–35

in′fe•lic′i•tous•ly, adv.