English
ineptocracy
Ineptocracy comes from French inepte ‘feckless’, from Latin ineptus ‘unsuitable’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- ‘water’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ep-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ptósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aptosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaptus‘suitable, adapted’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEineptus‘unsuitable’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentinepte‘feckless’
- Englishearliest quotation 2011ineptocracy
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ep-‘water’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂ptósreconstructed
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*aptosreconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaptus‘suitable, adapted’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEineptus‘unsuitable’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentinepte‘feckless’
- Englishearliest quotation 2011ineptocracy
Earliest quotation: 2011, Christopher Merrill, The Tree of the Doves: Ceremony: “People like to talk about a neoconservative cabal in…”
Formed from -o- + -cracy
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- ‘water’
through Latin aptus ‘suitable, adapted’
Today it means
noun A government characterized by incompetent leaders.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂ep- / ineptocracy