under-achievern.
/ˌʌnd(ə)rəˈtʃiːvə/, U.S. /ˌəndərəˈtʃivər/ Psychology.
Someone whose actual performance consistently fails to reach the level predicted by intelligence tests or other measures of ability. Cf. overachiever n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [noun] > failure to achieve or attain > under-achieving > one who
underdoer1753
under-achiever1953
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > developmental psychology > acquisition of knowledge > test of mental ability > response to test > [noun] > lack of achievement > person manifesting
under-achiever1953
1953 Jrnl. Abnormal Psychol. 48 533/2 If his grades fell a full rank below prediction he was labelled an ‘underachiever’.
1962 ‘I. T. Ross’ Old Students never Die viii. 105 Nowadays we have a name for them: the kids with the high potential and the low grades. We call them ‘under-achievers’.
1968 D. Lawton Social Class, Lang. & Educ. i. 6 For a number of reasons working-class children tend to be under-achievers.
1973 E.-J. Bahr Nice Neighbourhood v. 47 I identify with the underachievers of this world.
1975 Whig-Standard (Kingston, Ont.) 6 Sept. 27/6 The survey also found that those not using seat belts also were under-achievers in school.
Derivatives
under-aˈchieve v. intransitive.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > fail or be unsuccessful [verb (intransitive)] > achieve less than possible
under-achieve1954
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > developmental psychology > acquisition of knowledge > test of mental ability > response to test > [verb (intransitive)] > fail to achieve
under-achieve1954
1954 Jrnl. Educ. Psychol. Oct. 322 It is virtually impossible for a pupil at or near the..first percentile [on an intelligence test] to ‘under-achieve’.
1972 Guardian 21 July 12/5 Parents who want their children to go to a popular school may..encourage them to underachieve.
under-aˈchievement n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [noun] > failure to achieve or attain > under-achieving
under-achievement1951
under-achieving1953
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > developmental psychology > acquisition of knowledge > test of mental ability > response to test > [noun] > lack of achievement
under-achievement1951
under-achieving1953
1951 School Rev. 59 472 (title) Factors related to over-achievement and under-achievement in school.
1982 Secondary Educ. Jrnl. 12 iii. 1/2 Underachievement is not confined to pupils in secondary schools.
under-aˈchieving adj. and n.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [noun] > failure to achieve or attain > under-achieving
under-achievement1951
under-achieving1953
the world > action or operation > failure or lack of success > [adjective] > specifically of persons > under-achieving
under-achieving1953
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > developmental psychology > acquisition of knowledge > test of mental ability > response to test > [noun] > lack of achievement
under-achievement1951
under-achieving1953
the mind > mental capacity > psychology > developmental psychology > acquisition of knowledge > test of mental ability > response to test > [adjective] > lacking achievement
under-achieving1953
1953 Jrnl. Abnormal Psychol. 48 533/2 Academic overachieving and underachieving were measured by the difference between a man's Predictive Rank List..and his attained Rank List.
1965 in M. Kornrich Underachievement 553 A role for the counselor may be to help the underachieving student.
1982 Secondary Educ. Jrnl. 12 iii. 1/2 Many of these pupils are..not achieving their full potential—in other words they are underachieving.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1986; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1951