unabridged

American  

[uhn-uh-brijd] / ˌʌn əˈbrɪdʒd /

adjective

1. not abridged or shortened, as a book.

   Synonyms:

   uncondensed, uncut, complete, entire

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noun

1. a dictionary that has not been reduced in size by omission of terms or definitions; the most comprehensive edition of a given dictionary.

unabridged British  

/ ˌʌnəˈbrɪdʒd /

adjective

1. (of a book, speech, etc) not reduced in length by condensing

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Etymology

Origin of unabridged

1590–1600; un- ¹ + abridged

Explanation

When a book is unabridged it's the whole thing, with nothing cut out. If you're seeking a definition for a very unusual word, you may need to look in an unabridged dictionary. To "abridge" something is to shorten it, so an unabridged edition has not been shortened. I can see that the short version of Shakespeare's works is easier to carry around, but if you want to enjoy every line, read the unabridged version. Unabridged is almost always used to describe books, but you can use it for spoken tales as well. You might not be so excited to hear the unabridged account of your sister's day at the mall.

Example Sentences

Finally, they had to spell a word that could be found anywhere in Webster’s Unabridged dictionary.

From Seattle Times • May 31, 2022

Unabridged editions don’t end with his departure from the island but go on to relate Crusoe’s efforts to reclaim his plantation and the profits owed to him, as well as his eventual marriage in England.

From Washington Post • Apr. 23, 2019

III. The English vocabulary is very extensive, as is shown by the fact that in Webster's Unabridged Dictionary there are nearly 100,000 words.

From New Word-Analysis by William Swinton

Unabridged biographies on each band member, along with copies of their side projects and solo work.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

On the following day I consulted Worcester’s Unabridged Dictionary and to my surprise, under the word “comprehend” found this note: “Comprehend has a more extensive meaning than understand or apprehend.”

From The Arena Volume 4, No. 21, August, 1891 by Various