INFELICITY

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does infelicity mean? 

• INFELICITY (noun)
  The noun INFELICITY has 1 sense:

1. inappropriate and unpleasing manner or style (especially manner or style of expression)

  Familiarity information: INFELICITY used as a noun is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• INFELICITY (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Inappropriate and unpleasing manner or style (especially manner or style of expression)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Hypernyms ("infelicity" is a kind of...):

inappropriateness; unworthiness (the quality of being not particularly suitable or befitting)

Antonym:

felicity (pleasing and appropriate manner or style (especially manner or style of expression))

Derivation:

infelicitous (not appropriate in application; defective)

 Context examples 

Mrs. Norris, most happy to assist in the duties of the day, by spending it at the Park to support her sister's spirits, and drinking the health of Mr. and Mrs. Rushworth in a supernumerary glass or two, was all joyous delight; for she had made the match; she had done everything; and no one would have supposed, from her confident triumph, that she had ever heard of conjugal infelicity in her life, or could have the smallest insight into the disposition of the niece who had been brought up under her eye.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)