Etymograph

English

unable

Unable comes from Middle English unable.

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500unable1
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2011unable1

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, English unable
  2. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2011, Tom Rostance, Fulham 0-5 Man Utd: “Fulham switched off as Giggs took a quick corner…”.

Lineage

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500unableWiktionary, English unable
  2. Englishearliest quotation 2011unableWiktionary, English unable. Earliest quotation in Wiktionary’s entry: 2011, Tom Rostance, Fulham 0-5 Man Utd: “Fulham switched off as Giggs took a quick corner…”

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Another origin of unable

  1. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500unablen
  2. Englishtodayunable

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Today it means

adj Not able; lacking a certain ability.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “unable”. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Middle English unable / unable