Inconcinnity
Occasionally, a word
will pop into my mind unbidden—usually a word that I would never actively use.
That happened yesterday with the word inconcinnity. I have no idea what the
trigger was, but there it was, front and center.
The in- in inconcinnity is the negative prefix. The
meaning is inelegance, awkwardness, impropriety, and unsuitableness. And yes,
there is a concinnity, meaning skilful and harmonious adaptation or fitting
together of parts, harmony, congruity, and consistency.
Some variant forms are
- concinnate: to put together fitly; to set
right, arrange duly or neatly; to trim, adjust, prepare fitly.
- concinnation: skilfully putting together or
properly adjusting.
- concinne: well fitted together, skilfully
arranged; harmonious.
- concinnus: fitly put together or arranged,
harmonious; agreeable, elegant, graceful.
The word is indebted to
the Latin concinnus,
skilfully put together, well-adjusted.
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