unco

[ uhng-koh ]

/ ˈʌŋ koʊ /

Scot. and North England

adjective

remarkable; extraordinary.

unusual; strange.

uncanny.

adverb

remarkably; extremely.

noun, plural un·cos.

something extraordinary or unusual; a novelty.

uncos, news.

Obsolete. a stranger.

Words nearby unco

unclose, unclosed, unclothe, unclubbable, uncluttered, unco, uncoded, uncoffined, uncoil, uncoined, uncollateralized

Origin of unco

1375–1425; late Middle English; variant of uncouth

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for unco

As the visitors called at from twelve to twenty houses on their rounds, they must have been “unco fou” by the close of the day.
McClure's Magazine, Vol. 1, No. 5, October 1893|Various
I had been unco keen o' fighting, but I got my fill o't then.
The Three Perils of Man, Vol. 2 (of 3)|James Hogg
She's been unco dowie (ailing) a' the summer; and sae has the bairnie.'
Robert Falconer|George MacDonald
Life's sweet to us a', an' it's unco hard to leave our master's bedesman just to be sacrificed.
The Three Perils of Man, Vol. 1 (of 3)|James Hogg

Na, na, I did na ken onything anent them; but it is unco awfu'!
The Lost Lady of Lone|E.D.E.N. Southworth

British Dictionary definitions for unco (1 of 2)

unco¹

/ (ˈʌŋkəʊ) Scot /

adjective uncoer or uncoest

unfamiliar, strange, or odd

remarkable or striking

adverb

very; extremely

the unco guid narrow-minded, excessively religious, or self-righteous people

noun plural uncos or uncoes

a novel or remarkable person or thing

obsolete a stranger

(plural) news

Word Origin for unco

C15: variant of uncouth

British Dictionary definitions for unco (2 of 2)

unco²

/ (ˈʌŋkəʊ) Australian informal /

adjective

awkward; clumsy

noun plural uncos

an awkward or clumsy person

Word Origin for unco

C20: shortened form of uncoordinated

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