unlucky

Unlucky is an adjective used to describe events, outcomes, or people perceived as lacking luck or experiencing misfortune. The term is highly subjective and often reflects cultural beliefs, personal experiences, and cognitive biases rather than a measurable property of reality.

Unlucky is formed from the adjective lucky with the prefix un- to indicate the opposite. The word lucky derives from luck, a concept with uncertain medieval origins related to fortune and chance. In English usage, unlucky commonly coexists with synonyms such as unfortunate or ill-starred, but it emphasizes personal or situational misfortune rather than a general state.

Many cultures attach specific symbols or days to luck or misfortune. Some actions or signs are considered unlucky in certain societies—such as breaking a mirror or walking under a ladder in Western superstition, or the number four in parts of East Asia. Conversely, some days or numbers may be regarded as lucky in other contexts.

Perceptions of unluckiness can influence behavior, contributing to self-fulfilling prophecies, avoidance, or the gambler's fallacy. People may interpret random sequences as patterns of misfortune, a phenomenon explained by cognitive biases rather than a measurable "unlucky" force.

Unlucky appears in everyday speech and literature to describe persistent bad luck or recent negative outcomes, as in "an unlucky streak" or "an unlucky day."