unwashed

American  

[uhn-wosht, -wawsht] / ʌnˈwɒʃt, -ˈwɔʃt /

adjective

1. not cleaned or purified by or as if by washing.

   unwashed dishes;

   the unwashed soul of a sinner.

2. pertaining to or characteristic of the common people; untutored, unsophisticated, or ignorant; plebeian.

   the power of the unwashed electorate.

---

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. an ignorant or lower-class group; rabble.

   The author claimed that the unwashed would not understand his books.

unwashed British  

/ ʌnˈwɒʃt /

adjective

1. not washed

---

plural noun

1. humorous the masses

Etymology

Origin of unwashed

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English; un- ¹ + wash ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Modi, as the Italian was affectionately called, was urbane, well-groomed and handsome, while Soutine was destitute, sickly and notoriously unwashed.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

He could smell unwashed bodies in the cramped room he shared with 40 detainees.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2025

Reading Borough Council inspectors also found light switches and taps were unwashed and blood-stained cardboard on the floor.

From BBC • May 10, 2025

As such, it's best to store these unwashed in the fridge, only washing when you're ready to eat them.

From Salon • Aug. 12, 2024

The pungent scents of Mr. Lew’s unwashed body and the pot-boiled astragalus-and-longan-berry tea he’d been ordered to drink four times a day seeped in from the kitchen.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu