terra incognita

[ ter-uhin-kog-ni-tuh, in-kog-nee-; Latin ter-rah in-kawg-ni-tah ]

/ ˈtɛr ə ɪnˈkɒg nɪ tə, ˌɪn kɒgˈni-; Latin ˈtɛr rɑ ɪnˈkɔg nɪ tɑ /

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See synonyms for terra incognita on Thesaurus.com

noun

an unknown or unexplored land, region, or subject.

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“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.

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Words nearby terra incognita

terracotta, terra firma, terraform, terraforming, terrain, terra incognita, terramara, Terra Mater, Terramycin, terrane, terrapin

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use terra incognita in a sentence

The logician Kurt Gödel proved the existence of such mathematical terra incognita nearly a century ago.
How the Slowest Computer Programs Illuminate Math’s Fundamental Limits|John Pavlus|December 10, 2020|Quanta Magazine
Here are five books that make the terra slightly less incognita.
The Five Best Books on Cuba|William O’Connor, Malcolm Jones|December 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I also like Terra Kulture, a cultural center in Victoria Island, the restaurant there makes a nice smoothie called 'Go Slow.'
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Literary Lagos|Henry Krempels|March 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Even the Italian government now refers to the area as the “terra di tumori” or “land of tumors.”
Italy’s Triangle Of Death: Naples Residents Blame Child Cancer Rates On Mob Disposal Of Toxic Chemicals|Barbie Latza Nadeau|November 21, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Alcatraz and Terra Nova did not live past 13 episodes and Fringe had to fight to make to it to five seasons.
‘Almost Human’ Review: A Dystopian Future That We’ve Seen Before|Chancellor Agard|November 17, 2013|DAILY BEAST
If Groupon was Battletoads, it would be like I made it all the way to the Terra Tubes without dying on my first ever play through.
Memo from Groupon's CEO: I Was Fired|Megan McArdle|March 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Among these are "Medusa," a bronze bust; and a "Mater Dolorosa," in terra-cotta.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
Over the archway are two sculptured figures in red terra-cotta, representing "Flora" and "Pomona."
Showell's Dictionary of Birmingham|Thomas T. Harman and Walter Showell
It is only a lower stratum, but still it is a part of terra firma, and on no account is it to be ignored.
Assimilative Memory|Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Had he fallen from a house-top, he would have reached terra firma on his feet.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
A writer gives the following account of the love the Terra Del Fuegians have for tobacco.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce|E. R. Billings.

British Dictionary definitions for terra incognita

terra incognita

/ Latin (ˈtɛrə ɪnˈkɒɡnɪtə) /

noun

an unexplored or unknown land, region, or area for study

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

terra incognita

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British Dictionary definitions for terra incognita