Offputting

Offputting

Adjective · /ˈɒfˌpʊt.ɪŋ/

Definition

Unpleasant or discouraging in a way that causes someone to feel reluctance, dislike, or mild repulsion; slightly repellent; creating an unfavourable impression that makes one want to avoid or withdraw.

Origin

From off (away, apart) + putting (present participle of put). The construction being phrasal — off-putting originally being the participial phrase from to put off (to deter, to discourage, to cause someone to dislike or avoid). The hyphenated and then solid form offputting developing in the twentieth century as the compound became established as a single adjective. Put off in the deterrence sense appearing in English from the sixteenth century. The compound offputting being characteristically British English — American English more commonly using off-putting (hyphenated) or simply unpleasant, unappealing, or discouraging.