unknown

[ uhn-nohn ]

adjective

1. not known; not within the range of one's knowledge, experience, or understanding; strange; unfamiliar.
2. not discovered, explored, identified, or ascertained:

   the unknown parts of Antarctica.

3. not widely known; not famous; obscure:

   an unknown writer.

noun

1. a thing, influence, area, factor, or person that is unknown:

   the many unknowns in modern medicine; The director cast an unknown in the leading role.

2. Mathematics. a symbol representing an unknown quantity: in algebra, analysis, etc., frequently represented by a letter from the last part of the alphabet, as x, y, or z.

unknown

/ ʌnˈnəʊn /

adjective

1. not known, understood, or recognized
2. not established, identified, or discovered

   an unknown island

3. not famous; undistinguished

   some unknown artist

4. unknown quantity
   a person or thing whose action, effect, etc, is unknown or unpredictable

noun

1. an unknown person, quantity, or thing
2. maths a variable, or the quantity it represents, the value of which is to be discovered by solving an equation; a variable in a conditional equation

   3y = 4x + 5 is an equation in two unknowns

Derived Forms

• unˈknownness, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of unknown¹

First recorded in 1250–1300, unknown is from the Middle English word unknow(e)n. See un- ¹, known

Example Sentences

Haddock said the discovery highlights the importance of deep-sea exploration and the significance of using new technology to catalog previously unknown creatures.

From Los Angeles Times

Virtually unknown is that Tanton also had an early and lucid understanding that climate change would exacerbate the country’s immigration conundrum, and it ultimately framed his life’s work.

From Salon

In newly released audio recorded while he was in jail and featured in a new documentary, Manson appears to speak about previously unknown killings.

From BBC

Sergeant Northey, along with three others, are the first unknown British soldiers killed in the Korean War to be successfully identified, and Michael is attending a ceremony, along with the other families, to rename their graves.

From BBC

Unknown to him, researchers at the Ministry of Defence had been conducting their own investigation.

From BBC

Related Words

• anonymous
• exotic
• foreign
• nameless
• new
• remote
• strange
• uncharted
• undiscovered
• unexplained
• unexplored
• unfamiliar
• unidentified
• unnamed
• unrecognized