unidentified
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
If something is unidentified, it's mysterious or unknown, whether it's an unidentified flying object or an unidentified fruit that turns up in your grocery cart. Being unidentified means having an unknown identity, from a Latin root meaning "sameness." If you can't determine the identity of a person, like the victim of a crime or a new student at school, they're unidentified. And if your dog brings something disgusting inside, but you can't figure out what on earth it is, just call it an unidentified object and toss it in the garbage!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The US said "unidentified remains" had been found, with verification of the remains ongoing.
From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026
A Norwegian tanker was also hit by an explosion caused by an unidentified device off the Omani coast early Tuesday, the crisis response company MTI Network said.
From Barron's ● Jul. 14, 2026
It reported a separate attack by an unidentified projectile on a tanker Monday.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026
So far 100% of identified objects haven’t been alien spacecraft, yet people like Steven Spielberg treat the simple fact of unidentified sightings as proof not only of alien visitation, but of government conspiracies.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026
Also on the tape was a recording of a bunch of loud noises: bells, train whistles, shrieks, and other unidentified sounds.
From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
