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inetto

inept, incompetent

adjective ee-NET-toh Rare
Descriptions & Qualities Personality

Origin: From Latin 'ineptus' (unsuitable, absurd).

Usage Note

Inetto describes someone who is utterly lacking in ability or fitness for a task. It is stronger than incapace (incapable) — it often implies a fundamental, almost pathetic deficiency. It agrees in gender: inetto, inetta, inetti, inette. The noun form is inettitudine (incompetence, ineptitude). Italo Svevo's protagonist Zeno Cosini is a classic literary portrait of the inetto.

Examples

"È un manager inetto che non sa prendere decisioni."

Natural Translation

He is an inept manager who cannot make decisions.

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