óhagstæður

óhagstæður is an Icelandic adjective meaning “unfavorable, disadvantageous, not advantageous.” It describes conditions, outcomes, or proposals that are not beneficial or are likely to produce a negative result. The term is typically applied to non-human subjects, such as weather, economic prospects, plans, or forecasts, rather than to people.

Etymology: The word is formed by adding the negative prefix ó- to hagstæður, a word that denotes something favorable or advantageous. Thus, óhagstæður denotes the opposite of hagstæður. Like other Icelandic adjectives, it inflects for gender and number, with the masculine singular form commonly rendered as óhagstæður and other forms matching the noun it modifies.

Usage: Óhagstæður is common in formal, technical, or policy-related writing, including weather reports, risk assessments, and economic analyses. It conveys a stronger sense of disfavor than milder terms such as óþægilegur (uncomfortable) or óheppilegur (inopportune). It is generally used for inanimate subjects or abstract situations and not typically used to describe people.

See also: hagstæður (favorable/advantageous); related discussions may note antonyms and the range of inflected forms depending on gender and case.