different between afflictive vs unfortunate

English

Etymology

afflict +? -ive

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?kt?v

Adjective

afflictive (comparative more afflictive, superlative most afflictive)

1. That causes physical or mental pain.
   • 1716, Thomas Browne, Christian Morals, 2nd edition edited by Samuel Johnson, London: J. Payne, 1756, Part I, p. 44,^[1]

     […] we consider not sufficiently the good of evils, nor fairly compute the mercies of PROVIDENCE in things afflictive at first hand.

   • 1718, Alexander Pope (translator), The Iliad of Homer, London: Bernard Lintot, Volume 4, Book 14, p. 96,^[2]

     All this from Jove’s afflictive Hand we bear:

     Who, far from Argos, wills our Ruin here.

   • 1718, Matthew Prior “Henry and Emma” in Poems on Several Occasions, London: Jacob Tonson, p. 229,^[3]

     But canst Thou, tender Maid, canst Thou sustain

     Afflictive Want, or Hunger’s pressing Pain?

   • 1847, Anne Brontë (pseudonym Acton Bell), Agnes Grey, Chapter 3,^[4]

     In my childhood I could not imagine a more afflictive punishment than for my mother to refuse to kiss me at night: the very idea was terrible.

Derived terms

• afflictively

Translations

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a.flik.tiv/
• Homophone: afflictives

Adjective

afflictive

1. feminine singular of afflictif

English

Etymology

un- +? fortunate

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?n?f??tj?n?t/, /?n?f??t???n?t/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?n?f??t???n?t/
• Hyphenation: un?for?tu?nate

Adjective

unfortunate (comparative more unfortunate, superlative most unfortunate)

1. not favored by fortune

   Synonym: unsuccessful

   Antonym: fortunate

2. marked or accompanied by or resulting in misfortune

   Synonym: unlucky

   Antonyms: fortunate, lucky

Translations

Derived terms

• unfortunately

See also

• deplorable
• regrettable
• infelicitous
• unsuitable

Noun

unfortunate (plural unfortunates)

1. An unlucky person; one who has fallen into bad circumstances.

Translations