Meanings
comparative more unascertained · superlative most unascertained
- Not ascertained; uncertain; undetermined; unknown.
A conjecture vaguely taking shape in his mind resolved itself to nothing again, and left him with only the ache of something unascertained.
1881, William Dean Howells, chapter IV, in A Fearful Responsibility, Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, page 382 more examples
Throughout all future time, as now, the human mind may occupy itself, not only with ascertained phenomena and their relations, but also with that unascertained something which phenomena and their relations imply.
1862, Herbert Spencer, “Religion and Science”, in First Principles, London: Williams and Norgate, page 17This will dispose of the power of the five perhaps estimable but unknown individuals known as “independents” to control in accordance with their unascertained prejudices the self-defending labors of a great nation in the presence of an efficient foe.
1917 March 23, “When the House Meets”, in The New York Times, page 8
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*né
- Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
- Proto-Germanic*un-
- Proto-West Germanic*un-
- Old Englishun-
- Middle Englishun-
- Englishun-
- Englishascertained
- Englishunascertained
From un- + ascertained.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Greek αδιαπίστωτος
- αδιαπίστωτος (adiapístotos)not ascertained
Cite this entry
unascertained. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unascertained
“unascertained.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unascertained. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unascertained,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unascertained.
Source: unascertained on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.