The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 12 letter word INFELICITOUS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
I
N
F
E
L
I
C
I
T
O
U
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "U/nfortunate" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case u/nfortunate = infelicitous.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does INFELICITOUS mean?
INFELICITOUS adjective- Unhappy or unfortunate.
- Inappropriate or awkward; not well said, expressed, or done.