Unnamed
/ʌnˈneɪmd/
Definitions
2 meaningsNot having or being given a name; anonymous; nameless.
/ʌnˈneɪmd/
Not identified by a name; anonymous.
The unnamed street was difficult to find.
💡 Simply: Imagine a secret agent who can't tell anyone their name. That person is unnamed! It means something or someone doesn't have a specific title.
👶 For kids: If something is unnamed, it doesn't have a name! Like the dog in your dream, it is unnamed until you give it a name!
More Examples
An unnamed source revealed the information.
The painting was created by an unnamed artist.
How It's Used
"The unnamed victim of the crime remains unknown."
"An unnamed source provided the information."
Not having a name, especially because the name is considered unpleasant or undesirable. Often used in a figurative way to describe something that is difficult to define or describe because of its unpleasant qualities
/ʌnˈneɪmd/
Not given a name because it is considered to be bad or unpleasant.
The unnamed fear crept into his thoughts.
💡 Simply: Sometimes, things are so awful that we don't even give them a name. Like a really scary monster in a story. That monster is unnamed because no one wants to say its name.
👶 For kids: Sometimes we have things we don't want to give names because they are scary. So that thing becomes unnamed.
More Examples
She faced the unnamed threat with courage.
The politician faced an unnamed scandal.
How It's Used
"The unnamed horrors of war haunted his dreams."
"The unnamed fear grew stronger in the silence of the night."
Synonyms & Antonyms
From Middle English *unnamed*, equivalent to un- + named. The prefix 'un-' denotes negation, and 'named' is the past participle of the verb 'to name'.
The term has been used in English since the 14th century, often to describe things or people whose identities are not known.
Memory tip
Think of a ghost – it's unnamed, but still there!
Word Origin
"not + to name"