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Origin and history of inept

inept(adj.)

c. 1600, "not fit or suitable, inapt," also "absurd, foolish," from French inepte "incapable" (14c.) or directly from Latin ineptus "unsuitable, improper, impertinent; absurd, awkward, silly, tactless," from in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + aptus "apt" (see apt). Related: Ineptly; ineptness.

also from c. 1600

Entries linking to inept

apt(adj.)

mid-14c., "inclined, disposed;" late 14c., "suited, fitted, adapted, possessing the necessary qualities for the purpose," from Old French ate "fitting, suitable, appropriate" (13c., Modern French apte), or directly from Latin aptus "fit, suited, proper, appropriate," adjectival use of past participle of *apere "to attach, join, tie to." This is reconstructed to be from PIE root *ap- (1) "to grasp, take, reach" (source also of Sanskrit apnoti "he reaches," Latin apisci "to reach after, attain," Hittite epmi "I seize"). The elliptical sense of "becoming, appropriate" is from 1560s.

ept(adj.)

1938, back-formation from inept, usually with an attempt at comical effect. Related: Eptitude; eptly.

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adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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