unsaturated

U1N1S1A1T1U1R1A1T1E1D2

adjective

Not saturated; capable of dissolving more of a solute at the same temperature.

Similar
monounsaturatedpolyunsaturateddull
Opposite
saturated
OriginEnglish saturated ← Middle English un- ← Old English un- →
Less commonScrabble 12
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Meanings

adjectiveunsaturated (not comparable)
  1. not comparablechemistryNot saturated; capable of dissolving more of a solute at the same temperature.
  2. not comparablechemistryOf a compound containing atoms sharing more than one valence bond, especially of an organic compound having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms.
  3. not comparableNot chromatically pure; diluted.
noununsaturated (plural unsaturateds)

plural unsaturateds

  1. An unsaturated hydrocarbon.

    […] the unsaturateds (mainly butadiene and cyclopentadiene) in these gases.

    1953, The Chemical Trade Journal and Chemical Engineer, page 788

Synonyms & antonyms

adjectivenot saturated; capable of dissolving more of a substance at a given temperature

Opposite
saturated

adjectiveused of a compound (especially of carbon) containing atoms sharing more than one valence bond

Similar
monounsaturatedpolyunsaturated
Opposite
saturated

adjective(of color) not chromatically pure; diluted

Similar
dull
Opposite
saturated
Also see
dullmonounsaturatedpolyunsaturated

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*né
  2. Proto-Indo-European*n̥-
  3. Proto-Germanic*un-
  4. Proto-West Germanic*un-
  5. Old Englishun-
  6. Middle Englishun-
  7. Englishun-
  8. Englishsaturated
  9. Englishunsaturated

From un- + saturated.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Catalan insaturat
  • insaturathaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Chinese Cantonese 不飽和 /不饱和, 不飽和 /不饱和
  • 不飽和 /不饱和 (bat¹ baau² wo⁴)capable of dissolving more solute
  • 不飽和 /不饱和 (bat¹ baau² wo⁴)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Chinese Mandarin 不飽和 /不饱和, 不飽和 /不饱和
  • 不飽和 /不饱和 (bùbǎohé)capable of dissolving more solute
  • 不飽和 /不饱和 (bùbǎohé)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Danish umættet, umættet
  • umættetcapable of dissolving more solute
  • umættethaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • umættetnot chromatically pure
Dutch onverzadigd, onverzadigd
  • onverzadigdcapable of dissolving more solute
  • onverzadigdhaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • onverzadigdnot chromatically pure
Finnish kyllästämätön, alikylläinen
  • kyllästämätöncapable of dissolving more solute
  • alikylläinencapable of dissolving more solute
  • tyydyttymätönhaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • alikylläinennot chromatically pure
French insaturé, insaturé
  • insaturécapable of dissolving more solute
  • insaturéhaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • insaturénot chromatically pure
German ungesättigt, ungesättigt
  • ungesättigtcapable of dissolving more solute
  • ungesättigthaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • ungesättigtnot chromatically pure
Greek ακόρεστος, ακόρεστος
  • ακόρεστος (akórestos)capable of dissolving more solute
  • ακόρεστος (akórestos)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Hungarian telítetlen
  • telítetlenhaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Irish neamhsháithithe, neamhsháithithe
  • neamhsháithithecapable of dissolving more solute
  • neamhsháithithehaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • neamhsháithithenot chromatically pure
Italian insaturo, insaturo
  • insaturocapable of dissolving more solute
  • insaturohaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Japanese 不飽和, 不飽和
  • 不飽和 (fuhōwa)capable of dissolving more solute
  • 不飽和 (fuhōwa)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Korean 불포화, 불포화
  • 불포화 (bulpohwa)capable of dissolving more solute
  • 불포화 (bulpohwa)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Māori hamanga
  • hamangacapable of dissolving more solute
Norwegian Bokmål umettet, umettet
  • umettetcapable of dissolving more solute
  • umettethaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Russian ненасы́щенный, ненасы́щенный
  • ненасы́щенный (nenasýščennyj)capable of dissolving more solute
  • ненасы́щенный (nenasýščennyj)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • ненасы́щенный (nenasýščennyj)not chromatically pure
Spanish insaturado, no saturado
  • insaturadocapable of dissolving more solute
  • no saturadocapable of dissolving more solute
  • insaturadohaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • no saturadohaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • insaturadonot chromatically pure
  • no saturadonot chromatically pure
Swedish omättad, omättad
  • omättadcapable of dissolving more solute
  • omättadhaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
  • omättadnot chromatically pure
Welsh annirlawn, annirlawn
  • annirlawncapable of dissolving more solute
  • annirlawnhaving one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Yiddish אומגעזעטיקט, אומגעזעטיקט
  • אומגעזעטיקט (umgezetikt)capable of dissolving more solute
  • אומגעזעטיקט (umgezetikt)having one or more double bonds or triple bonds between carbon atoms
Cite this entry
APA

unsaturated. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unsaturated

MLA

“unsaturated.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unsaturated. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unsaturated,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unsaturated.

Source: unsaturated on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.