SKIP TO CONTENT

unidentified

/ənaɪˈdɛntɪfaɪd/
/ənaɪˈdɛntɪfaɪd/
IPA guide

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!

Definitions of unidentified
  1. adjective
    not yet identified
    “an unidentified species”
    “an unidentified witness”
    synonyms:
    unknown
    not known
  2. adjective
    being or having an unknown or unnamed source
    synonyms: nameless, unknown, unnamed
    anon., anonymous
    having no known name or identity or known source
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘unidentified'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family