un

or 'un

[ uhn ]

pronounDialect.
  1. one: young uns; He's a bad un.

Other definitions for UN (2 of 4)

UN

Other definitions for un- (3 of 4)

un-1

  1. a prefix meaning “not,” freely used as an English formative, giving negative or opposite force in adjectives and their derivative adverbs and nouns (unfair; unfairly; unfairness; unfelt; unseen; unfitting; unformed; unheard-of; un-get-at-able), and less freely used in certain other nouns (unrest; unemployment).

Origin of un-

3
Middle English un-, on-,Old English; cognate with Dutch on-,Gothic, German un-,Old Norse ū-, ō-; akin to Latin in-,Greek an-, a-.See a-6, an-1, in-3

synonym study For un-

See in-3.

Other definitions for un- (4 of 4)

un-2

  1. a prefix freely used in English to form verbs expressing a reversal of some action or state, or removal, deprivation, release, etc. (unbend; uncork; unfasten, etc.), or to intensify the force of a verb already having such a meaning (unloose).

Origin of un-

4
Middle English, Old English un-, on-; cognate with Gothic and-,Dutch ont-,German ent-; akin to Latin ante,Greek antí;cf. ante-, anti-

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use un in a sentence

  • Peace employed the phonetic method of pronouncing words, and to her young eyes u-n-i-o-n was easily onion.

    At the Little Brown House | Ruth Alberta Brown
  • U-n-ya-muezi—Country of Moon—must have been one of the largest kingdoms in Africa.

  • Uniki (u-n-ki)--the dbut or the first public performance of a hula actor.

    Unwritten Literature of Hawaii | Nathaniel Bright Emerson
  • No, I said the scientific name for sunflowers, you know, s-u-n-f-l-o-w-e-r-s.

    The Librarian at Play | Edmund Lester Pearson
  • One is the upper, and the other the low country, or rather what some call the "co-u-n-try-b-o-r-n" cracker.

    Manuel Pereira | F. C. Adams

British Dictionary definitions for 'un (1 of 4)

'un

un

/ (ən) /


pronoun
  1. a spelling of one that's a big 'un

usage For 'un

This spelling is intended to reflect a dialectal or informal pronunciation

British Dictionary definitions for UN (2 of 4)

UN

abbreviation for
  1. United Nations

British Dictionary definitions for un- (3 of 4)

un-1

prefix
  1. (freely used with adjectives, participles, and their derivative adverbs and nouns: less frequently used with certain other nouns) not; contrary to; opposite of: uncertain; uncomplaining; unemotionally; untidiness; unbelief; unrest; untruth

Origin of un-

3
from Old English on-, un-; related to Gothic on-, German un-, Latin in-

British Dictionary definitions for un- (4 of 4)

un-2

prefix forming verbs and verbal derivatives
  1. denoting reversal of an action or state: uncover; untangle

  2. denoting removal from, release, or deprivation: unharness; unman; unthrone

  1. (intensifier): unloose

Origin of un-

4
from Old English un-, on-; related to Gothic and-, German ent-, Latin ante

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012