unmanned (adj.)

prefix of negation, Old English un-, from Proto-Germanic *un- (source also of Old Saxon, Old Frisian, Old High German, German un-, Gothic un-, Dutch on-), from PIE *n- (source of Sanskrit a-, an- "not," Greek a-, an-, Old Irish an-, Latin in-), combining form of PIE root *ne- "not." Often euphemistic (such as untruth for "lie").

The most prolific of English prefixes, freely and widely used in Old English, where it forms more than 1,000 compounds. It underwent a mass extinction in early Middle English, but emerged with renewed vigor 16c. to form compounds with native and imported words. It disputes with Latin-derived cognate in- (1) the right to form the negation of certain words (indigestable/undigestable, etc.), and though both might be deployed in cooperation to indicate shades of meaning (unfamous/infamous), typically they are not.

It also makes words from phrases (such as uncalled-for, c. 1600; undreamed-of, 1630s; uncome-at-able, 1690s; unputdownable, 1947, of a book; un-in-one-breath-utterable, Ben Jonson; etc., but the habit is not restricted to un-; such as put-up-able-with, 1812). As a prefix in telegramese to replace not and save the cost of a word, it is attested by 1936.

Middle English mannen, from Old English mannian "to furnish (a fort, ship, etc.) with a company of men," from man (n.). The meaning "take up a designated position on a ship" is attested by 1690s.

The sense of "behave like a man, brace up in a manful way, act with courage" is from c. 1400. To man (something) out "play a man's part, bear oneself stoutly and boldly" is from 1660s. To man up is by 1925 as "supply with a man or men;" by 2006 in the intransitive colloquial sense of "be manly." Related: Manned; manning.