unemployed English · revision 15253

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=early 15th century}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˌʌnɪmˈplɔɪd/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|en|un-|employed]], un- meaning not, with the past participle of [[employ]].^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of merchandise and the like, not put to use or applied to a purpose: the early 15th century (unemploied) in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) the OED's first quotation is from 1600.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Of people, not engaged in work, temporarily out of work, it is from the 1660s.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The noun, unemployed persons collectively, is from 1782.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) There seems never to have been a verb ''unemploy'', though ''disemploy'' was used from the 1610s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * early 15th century – not put to use.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1667 – out of work.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1782 – the unemployed.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Without paid work; [[jobless]], out of work.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Not in use; [[idle]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The unemployed: people without paid work.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[unemployment]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[employ]]

+ * [[employed]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}