un-

¹ 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- ² 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 ³ American  

[uhn] / ən /

Or 'un

pronoun

Dialect.

1. one.

   young uns; He's a bad un.

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UN ⁴ American  

Or U.N.

abbreviation

1. United Nations.

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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

Related Words

See in- ³.

Etymology

Origin of un-¹

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-²

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

Example Sentences

He called for the US and UN Security Council to intervene immediately.

From BBC

A rubber boat carrying 55 passengers, including two babies, has overturned off the coast of Libya, the UN migration agency says.

From BBC

Businesses can either lead the way or "ultimately risk extinction... both of species in nature, but potentially also their own", said co-author Matt Jones, from the UN World Conservation Monitoring Centre in Cambridge.

From BBC

Interim leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus said in January that there had been a "flood of misinformation surrounding the elections" when he called UN rights chief Volker Turk seeking help.

From Barron's

Herzog has condemned the UN report, which he said took his words out of context, while the Israeli foreign minister called it "distorted and false".

From BBC