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

Related Words

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; ante-, anti-

Example Sentences

Había tres equipos: el Team Stars, el Team Stripes y el Team World, que jugaron partidos de 12 minutos en un torneo de todos contra todos.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

Se le preguntó a James si se habría imaginado un formato de Estados Unidos contra el mundo.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

A sus 41 años y jugando su 23ª temporada, un récord, se le preguntó a James sobre su futuro, ya que su eventual retirada siempre parece ser motivo de curiosidad.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2026

Un día después de cumplir 40 años, McVay entrenó como si ya no fuera el niño prodigio, sino un líder envejecido que se expone a las críticas.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 26, 2026

The prefix un was a later addition, and eventually the final I on the old “untill” fell off.

From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner