unidentified
Britishadjective
Other Word Forms
Explanation
If something is unidentified, it's mysterious or unknown, whether it's an unidentified flying object or an unidentified fruit that turns up in your grocery cart. Being unidentified means having an unknown identity, from a Latin root meaning "sameness." If you can't determine the identity of a person, like the victim of a crime or a new student at school, they're unidentified. And if your dog brings something disgusting inside, but you can't figure out what on earth it is, just call it an unidentified object and toss it in the garbage!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The protist belonged to a previously unidentified species, and its genetic instructions appeared to operate according to an unusual set of rules.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026
In the autumn 2025, unidentified drones flew over several Danish airports and the Skrydstrup air base -- where Ukrainian pilots are trained on F-16 fighter jets.
From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026
In late 2025, unidentified drones were seen flying over Dublin airport during a visit by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026
In a news release, officials said an unidentified person who reported a possible drowning said White appeared to have an “unknown emergency” after entering the state’s largest reservoir to save the animal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Some medieval depictions of comets resemble unidentified flying crucifixes.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
