unlearned

English

Alternative forms

• unlearnt

Etymology 1

From Middle English unlerned (“not taught, uneducated”), equivalent to un- (“not”) +‎ learned (“educated”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ʌnˈlɜːnɪd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ʌnˈlɝnɪd/

Adjective

unlearned (comparative more unlearned, superlative most unlearned)

1. ignorant, uneducated, untaught, untrained.

   Synonyms: see Thesaurus:ignorant

   Antonym: learned

   • 1963, “Masters of War” (track 3, side 1), in Bob Dylan (lyrics), (traditional)/Jean Ritchie (music), The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, performed by Bob Dylan:

     How much do I know / To talk out of turn / You might say that I'm young / You might say I'm unlearned / But there's one thing I know / Though I'm younger than you / Even Jesus would never / Forgive what you do

Translations

uneducated

• Finnish: oppimaton (fi)
• French: inérudit (fr), illettré (fr), inculte (fr), ignorant (fr)
• Gothic: 𐌿𐌽𐍅𐌴𐌹𐍃 (unweis)
• Greek:

  Ancient Greek: ἀπαίδευτος (apaídeutos), ἀγράμματος (agrámmatos)

• Hungarian: tanulatlan (hu)
• Latin: illitterātus, indoctus, inērudītus

Etymology 2

From un- (“not”) +‎ learned (“studied”), past participle of learn.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ʌnˈlɜːnd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ʌnˈlɝnd/

Adjective

unlearned (comparative more unlearned, superlative most unlearned)

1. Of a behavior: not learned; innate.

   Synonyms: inborn, inherent; see also Thesaurus:innate

2. Of information: that has not (yet) been learned; unknown.
   • 1865, Henry Clay Work, “The Ship That Never Returned”:

     Did she ever return? No, she never returned.
     Her fate is yet unlearned
     Though for years and years there were fond ones watching
     For the ship that never returned.

Translations

of behavior, innate

• Finnish: kömpelö (fi)

Etymology 3

From Middle English unlernyd (“obliterated from memory, forgotten”), equivalent to unlearn +‎ -ed.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ʌnˈlɜːnd/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ʌnˈlɝnd/

Verb

unlearned

1. simple past and past participle of unlearn (“discard the knowledge of”)