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• un
  un

  pronoun

  one.
• UN
  UN

  abbreviation

  United Nations.
• un-
  un-

  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 ).
• 'un
  'un

  pronoun

  a spelling of one

un

¹ American  

[uhn] / ən /

Or 'un

pronoun

Dialect.

1. one.

   young uns; He's a bad un.

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UN ² American  

Or U.N.

abbreviation

1. United Nations.

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un- ³ American  

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 ).

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un- ⁴ American  

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 ).

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un- ¹ British  

prefix

1. denoting reversal of an action or state

   uncover

   untangle

2. denoting removal from, release, or deprivation

   unharness

   unman

   unthrone

3. (intensifier)

   unloose

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UN ² British  

abbreviation

1. United Nations

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'un ³ British  

/ ən /

pronoun

1. a spelling of one

   that's a big 'un

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un- ⁴ British  

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

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Usage

This spelling is intended to reflect a dialectal or informal pronunciation

Synonym Usage

See in- ³.

Etymology

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

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-

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

un UN un- 'un

Often Rosalía just translates herself: “This job doesn’t have more nobility than un carpintero haciendo sillas—a carpenter doing chairs. It’s just about showing up, about practicing, about trying.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 19, 2026

Nerves crept in, and as the match entered extra time, Spain began to fear that this final would go down as un robo, a robbery.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026

Even at the time, their crime was divisive - the first trial ended un a mistrial after the jury couldn't reach a verdict.

From BBC ● May 17, 2025

One of the paintings by his father lost to the fire, “Pesadilla de un General,” was created in 1994 and focused on children whose lives were taken in the war.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2025

Some members of the audience began to chant “Tigran un tigre! Tigran un tigre!” and the victory cheer spread to the outer lobby and street.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

The UN says civilians there are "at grave risk" and lacking food due to soaring prices.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

The BBC shared details of its investigation with the UN human rights chief, who said our findings were "deeply disturbing", and consistent with the analysis of his office.

From BBC ● Oct. 22, 2026

UN special rapporteurs are independent experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to report their findings.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

In the latest informal straw poll held last week to gauge which candidates have a shot of becoming the next UN Secretary General, every contender received an effective veto.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2026

"I can already see the UN," I told him, with a little hysterical giggle.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

What fascinating characters “The English” has at the margins quickly cycle in and out of the miniseries — bad men and women whose motivations and backgrounds remain un- or underexplored.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2022

All of which is to say that in ways both subtle and not, intentional and un-, he has complicated his relationship with audiences, elaborated and often inverted the idea of Matt Damon.

From New York Times ● Jul. 27, 2021

This sense of being un- or under-written raises the spectre of another English author, Rachel Cusk, whose “Outline” trilogy dispenses with many of the classic techniques—plot, dialogue—that give fiction shape.

From The New Yorker ● Sep. 24, 2018

But because that format is so often used to disguise periods of un- or underemployment, the typical hiring manager’s reaction is, “I’m going to find what this person’s trying to hide,” Milligan says.

From Washington Post ● Nov. 29, 2016

Now all I had to do was un- stow the locking handle, and crank, and crank, until— finally—it was locked.

From "Flying to the Moon: An Astronaut's Story" by Michael Collins

The young ’un is Trey McKinney, a wiry prodigy who broke into Elite Series fishing in his teens and has twice finished runner-up for Angler of the Year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 29, 2026

“I can tell a wrong ‘un a mile away.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2022

While the current Covid pandemic is not "the big 'un" in terms of disasters, it has highlighted weaknesses in how we live, he says.

From BBC ● Dec. 9, 2020

In French, it’s called ‘un sot-l’y-laisse’—i.e., only an idiot leaves it behind.”

From Fox News ● Jul. 24, 2020

“But how can a pore urchin dump un on ter noase? When ee ha’nt got nothing to dump with, nor way to hold ’un?

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

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