desagradable

Forms

desagradable m or f (masculine and feminine plural desagradables)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Spanish desagradar + -able.^[1][2] Gómez de Silva analyses it instead as des- with agradable.^[3] agradar is a derivative of grado “will, liking”, which continues Late Latin grātum (“thanks”), from grātus (“pleasing; grateful”).^[4][5] The Latin adjective goes back to Proto-Italic *gwrāto- (“grateful”) and Proto-Indo-European *gwrH-to- (“praised in song”).^[6]

The same formation is Catalan desagradable, Portuguese desagradável and French désagréable.^[1][7] Compare also Italian sgradevole.^[1][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The CDH's earliest hit is the Spanish translation of Joanot Martorell's Tirant lo Blanch, printed in 1511: tu mucha virtud no puede hazer cosa, que nos sea desagradable “your great virtue can do nothing that would displease us”.^[8] Corominas cites Lope de Vega, and the BDELC dates the word 1570;^[8] agradable is recorded in 1241 and desagradar about 1530, in Garcilaso.^[5][4]

Semantic evolution

Early texts often say what is unwelcome to God: in a sermon of the 1530s the eating of the apple was tan desagradable a Dios.^[8] The Diccionario de Autoridades defined it as what displeases or annoys, derived it from desagradar, and quoted the preacher Florencia and Gracián.^[9] The Academy's short definition of 1884 is still that of the DLE;^[10] Moliner adds the sense of something that makes a bad impression by its looks.^[10][11][12]

Timeline

• 1511 – the translation of Tirant lo Blanch has desagradable.^[8]
• c. 1530 – first record of desagradar, in Garcilaso.^[5][4]
• 1732 – the Diccionario de Autoridades defines it.^[9]
• 1758 – the first record from the Americas, in Venezuela: the wrongs that are desagradables in God's eyes.^[13]

Meanings

Adjective

1. unpleasant, disagreeable: causing displeasure or annoyance: un ruido desagradable.^[11][1]
2. Of a person or behaviour: rude, unkind: No seas desagradable con tu hermano.^[1][12]
3. Making a bad impression by its looks: un aspecto desagradable.^[12]

Word family

• desagradablemente

Related words

• agradable
• desagrado
• grato

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ Wikcionario (Spanish Wiktionary), es.wiktionary.org
3. ^ Gómez de Silva, Guido (1988), Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua española, México: Fondo de Cultura Económica / El Colegio de México
4. ^ a b c Corominas, Joan (1973), Breve diccionario etimológico de la lengua castellana, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. grado
5. ^ a b c Corominas, Joan; Pascual, José A. (1980–1991), Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico, 6 vols., Madrid: Gredos, p. 3, 189
6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ a b Houaiss, Antônio; Villar, Mauro de Salles (2001), Dicionário Houaiss da língua portuguesa, Rio de Janeiro: Objetiva, p. s.v. desagradável
8. ^ a b c d Real Academia Española (2013–), Corpus del Diccionario histórico de la lengua española (CDH), version 3.1, https://apps.rae.es/CNDHE, p. s.v. desagradable
9. ^ a b Real Academia Española (1726–1739), Diccionario de la lengua castellana (Diccionario de Autoridades), 6 vols., Madrid: Francisco del Hierro, p. 3, 94
10. ^ a b Real Academia Española (1884), Diccionario de la lengua castellana, 12th ed., Madrid: Imprenta de D. Gregorio Hernando (the first Academy edition with etymologies), p. 352
11. ^ a b Real Academia Española; Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española (2014–), Diccionario de la lengua española, 23rd ed., online version 23.8, https://dle.rae.es, p. s.v. desagradable
12. ^ a b c Moliner, María (2007), Diccionario de uso del español, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. desagradable
13. ^ Boyd-Bowman, Peter (2003), Léxico hispanoamericano 1493–1993, ed. Ray Harris-Northall and John J. Nitti, New York: Hispanic Seminary of Medieval Studies, p. s.v. desagradable